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Christen Press is starting a comeback.
After an arduous injury recovery, the Angel City FC forward will return to training, the team announced in a news release Monday. Press, a two-time World Cup winner with the U.S. women’s national team, has not played since sustaining a season-ending ACL injury in June 2022.
Now, after two years — almost to the day — and significant rehabilitation, Press will join Angel City for practice on Tuesday.
Press’ recovery has had many setbacks; in July 2023, Press revealed that she required a fourth surgery to repair her ACL. However, she is now ready to begin a slow return to the pitch.
Press will start slow this week, but told The Athletic on Monday that she will participate in group warm-ups and passing drills while reincorporating with the team.
“It will still be the first time I’ve done a legitimate passing pattern with a bunch of bodies on the field and checking angles, because it’s just been one-on-one training for two years,” Press told The Athletic.
Initially, Press said that she wanted to keep her return low-key, but later switched course.
“I reversed, I changed my mind, because I was like, ‘Shoot, who knows how many milestones I have left to celebrate? Who knows what’s going to happen after this first team training?'” Press said. “So if this is something we can all celebrate, let’s just go for it, because this journey has been really, really long.”
Press joined Angel City in 2022, becoming the first player to sign with the expansion team for a three-season contract reportedly worth $700,000, making her one of the highest-paid NWSL players at the time. However, she only had eight appearances with the team before her injury.
The 35-year-old forward has been a consistent, strong offensive presence throughout her career, including on the USWNT. Press has racked up 155 international appearances and 64 goals with the U.S., but has not played for the USWNT since 2021, due to a combination of her injury and coaching decisions under former USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski.
In addition to her return to practice, Press also announced the return of “The RE—CAP Show,” her soccer analysis and interview podcast with Tobin Heath. Heath and Press, who are former USWNT teammates, have been dating for several years. In the show, the two veterans weigh in and analyze the NWSL and international soccer.