Portland Thorns, Canada star Beckie to miss Women’s Planet Cup

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Janine Beckie played for Canada through the current SheBelieves Cup amid a dispute with Canada Soccer.James Williamson – AMA/Getty Pictures

Portland Thorns and Canada women’s national group forward Janine Beckie will miss the upcoming NWSL season and the 2023 Women’s Planet Cup immediately after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her appropriate knee, her club announced Friday.

Beckie suffered the injury on Wednesday through a preseason friendly for the Thorns against the U.S. U-23 women’s youth national group. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery in the coming weeks, the Thorns stated.

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“Heartbroken is an understatement,” Beckie stated in a statement on social media. “Sadly yesterday physicians confirmed that through Wednesday night’s game I tore my ACL.

“Getting worked so challenging through off-season for what was set to be a single of the greatest seasons of my profession, defending the title for Portland Thorns and of course playing in the Planet Cup for Canada, becoming out for an extended period of time if a hard pill to swallow.

“I will be supporting my group-mates for each club and nation this season and it goes with out saying I will be back far better and stronger than ever.”

The former Manchester City player was element of the Canada group that won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021 and has scored 36 ambitions in 101 appearances at international level.

Beckie was also at the forefront of the team’s current protest more than spend equity and spending budget cuts just before it was announced earlier this month that the players had reached an interim funding agreement with Canada Soccer.

She was set to be a crucial player in this summer’s Planet Cup, which will take spot in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.

The Thorns will commence the defense of the NWSL Championship it won final year at residence to the Orlando Pride on March 26.