The SheBelieves Cup is here, and the action is already heating up! Japan just put on a clinic against Australia, and now it’s the USWNT’s turn to take center stage. But hold on—there’s a major piece missing from the puzzle. Trinity Rodman, one of America’s brightest young stars, isn’t in the lineup. So, what’s the deal? How serious is her injury?

So far, it’s known that she continues to recover from her back injury that flared up just after she won gold at the Paris Olympics. But since then, the daughter of Dennis Rodman has remained sidelined for the last three international windows. Who would have thought the situation was so grave that now it came to see her miss out on the SheBelieves Cup?

However, there is a positive update surrounding the 22-year-old. As compiled by The Equalizer Soccer, Rodman is currently training with the Washington Spirit. Individual training may sound a bit scary, but in reality, the forward admits that she is “in a really good place.” The Newport Beach, California, native believes she will be able to recover from her back in the coming weeks.

Interestingly, this also aligns with Rodman’s statement from last month, where she confidently provided an update on her recovery. “I feel good, I feel better than I was… Just focused on building that slowly and not just jumping right back into things and doing it the right way,” said Trin, while speaking at NWSL Media Day, as reported by Pro Soccer Wire.

Then again, there’s no specific timeframe provided that indicates Rodman’s exact return date from her injury. Honestly, that would have cleared more air surrounding all the uncertainty regarding her comeback. Yet, one thing is certain: neither the USWNT nor the Spirit will be rushing to call the talented winger. After all, this back injury has been haunting her since 2021.

Last year, she was forced to leave the pitch in a wheelchair during an NWSL match against the KC Current. Although that injury sidelined Rodman for two regular-season games, she ultimately returned in time for the NWSL playoffs. However, the reality is that the young star herself acknowledged playing through pain. In fact, after the final, the winger openly admitted, “I wasn’t the Trin that I wanted to be today.”

Either way, the key takeaway is that Rodman is on her path to recovery. While the exact timing of her return remains uncertain, the Spirit forward has already set clear ambitions for the season ahead!

Trinity Rodman looks to make a strong bounce back ahead of the 2025 season kick-off

Aside from her daily training for a highly anticipated return, Rodman is also preparing for the season ahead. Unlike last year, the Spirit will have a fresh start under Jonathan Giraldez, who joined the club in the summer of 2024. As the season opener on March 14 draws closer, Trin’s excitement continues to grow. “I’m really excited for the start of the season because we already look a lot better than we did last preseason,” said the USWNT star.

It’s no secret how close Rodman came to tasting glory last year. Despite her impressive contributions—eight goals and six assists across 26 matches—the Spirit encountered heartbreak on two occasions. First, they fell short in the NWSL Shield race, finishing second behind Orlando Pride with a four-point gap. Fate then had them meet Pride again in the Championship final, where they suffered another narrow defeat.

But Rodman surely doesn’t feel like she gave her everything for nothing. “I think to sum up last year, I would say a growth, mindset, and playing with confidence,” she said in a recent interview. In a nutshell, expect Trinity Rodman to make a remarkable bounce back. For now, let’s hope she recovers quickly from her injury.