As the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament kicks off in Australia and New Zealand, several star players from across the globe have been sidelined by ACL injuries, according to a July 12 report from USA Today.
Players sidelined from the tournament include Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema; England's Leah Williamson and Beth Mead; Canada's Janine Beckie; and U.S. star Catarina Macario.
Last year, nearly 60 players in the world's top professional women's leagues were sidelined because of ACL injuries, according to the report.
Studies have shown that women are six to eight times more likely to tear their ACL than men in sports including soccer and basketball, according to a July 24 press release from Lansing, Mich.-based Sparrow Health System.