Sam Mewis has offered a new perspective on her seemingly early retirement.
The U.S. women’s national team midfielder and three-time NWSL champion, speaking on ESPN’s “Fútbol Americas,” said that the knee injury that forced her to hang up her boots could have curtailed her career much sooner than it actually did.
“I’ve had a cartilage injury in my knee for seven years now, and actually feel really fortunate that I was able to play on it as long as I did,” said Mewis.
“The decision to step away was really difficult, and clearly it took me a really long time to accept, but overall I think that prioritizing my health as a person became really important to me.”
According to Mewis, even after multiple years of rehab, her injury wasn’t improving in a way that would let her get back to playing.
“After about two, two-and-a-half years of really just rehabbing my knee every day, it became clear to me my knee couldn’t handle the impact that elite soccer requires,” explained the Massachusetts native. “I went through some surgeries, I talked to a dozen doctors and physical therapists and people who could have an option about how to fix this cartilage issue in my knee.
“It just took a lot of time and a lot of acceptance that physically, I was unable to return to the game at the level required. So, a lot of mixed emotions honestly, and a lot of long conversations with my family and close friends. It’s been a tough couple of years.”
Mewis was one of the world’s best players despite playing with the cartilage issue. She was indispensable for the 2019 World Cup-winning USWNT, and won two NWSL championships with the North Carolina Courage after sustaining the injury.
Mewis moved on to enjoy plenty of success with Manchester City, winning an FA Cup, making the 2020-21 PFA Team of the Year, and being named U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year in 2020.
However, after two short appearances with the Kansas City Current at the start of the 2021 season, the USWNT star had to undergo another surgery on the same injury. While Mewis traveled with the Current for away games in the time that followed, she never actually played in a match again.
“I think unfortunately I just had to step away and have this knee surgery and haven’t really gotten back since,” explained Mewis.
