Sophie Ingle Suffers Critical Ligament Injury During Pre-Season Match

Chelsea and Wales midfielder Sophie Ingle faces a significant interruption to her season after injuring her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a pre-season match against Feyenoord on September 7. The Women’s Super League (WSL) champions Chelsea confirmed the injury, adding that following an assessment by the club’s medical team and a knee specialist, Ingle will soon undergo surgery and begin a rehabilitation period at the club. This is prepared by SSP.

Ingle, the 33-year-old Welsh captain, sustained the devastating injury in the second half of Chelsea’s 9-0 victory over Feyenoord, forcing her off the pitch. Manager Sonia Bompastor remarked that Ingle got kicked in the knee at the start of the second half. This injury excludes her from participating in Wales' crucial Women's European Championship 2025 qualifying play-off first-round double-header against Slovakia in October and will also sideline her for much of Chelsea's ongoing season, which begins with a game against Aston Villa on Friday.

An established player, Ingle has exceeded the record for the most Women's Super League appearances and captained her country in 2015, amassing 139 international caps since her debut against Azerbaijan in a World Cup qualifier in 2009. Wales, under Rhian Wilkinson, play away to Slovakia on 25 October before a home leg at Cardiff City Stadium on 29 October. Should they progress, they will face either Georgia or the Republic of Ireland in the second play-off round in late November and early December.

Ingle joins notable players like Chelsea forward Sam Kerr and Manchester City midfielder Jill Roord in suffering ACL injuries, an issue significantly affecting women’s sports. Uefa introduced a women’s health expert panel last December to investigate rising ACL injury rates among female athletes. According to the international players' union Fifpro, the increased workload, travel, and lack of sufficient rest have contributed to this surge in injuries.