Washington Spirit and U.S. women's national team forward Trinity Rodman left the field in a wheelchair Friday after suffering a back injury in the Spirit's 3-0 loss to Kansas City Current.
Rodman fell to the ground on the sideline in the 75th minute after shielding the ball from Kansas City forward Temwa Chawinga.
Rodman lay face down and held her back before receiving treatment from Washington's training staff. She attempted to walk to the bench with the help of two members of the training staff before sitting in a wheelchair to be taken to the locker room five minutes after the injury.
Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez confirmed after the game that Rodman felt something in his back, but said he had “no information.” He said the team would have to return to Washington for further evaluation.
The sellout crowd in Kansas City chanted Rodman's name as she left the field. Rodman returned to the bench for the final minutes of the Spirit's loss, which dented their hopes of winning the NWSL Shield.
Rodman's eight goals this season rank her tied for fourth in the NWSL with teammate Ouleye Sarr. Rodman is also tied for second in the NWSL with six assists. She is likely to be a finalist for the NWSL Most Valuable Player award in 2024.
No player has been more consistent for the U.S. women's national team since the start of 2023. Rodman is the only player to appear in every U.S. women's national team game over the past two calendar years, and she was one of the stars of the team's run to an Olympic gold medal last month.
Rodman scored three goals for the U.S. women's national team at the 2024 Olympics, including the overtime game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Japan in the quarterfinals.
Kansas City's 3-0 win secured a playoff spot for the Current and moved them within two points of second-place Washington. Chawinga scored his 16th goal of the season, which put him two goals shy of Sam Kerr's single-season league record.
