Rose Lavelle recently had surgery on her left ankle, and she mentioned that she is doing well following the procedure. However, she did not specify when she will be able to play again for Gotham FC.

Lavelle arrived at Gotham FC’s media day in Brooklyn on Monday on crutches while wearing a gray walking boot on her surgically repaired foot.

She doesn’t know exactly when she might be able to play again and is taking her rehab process “one day at a time.” 

Lavelle explained that it’s challenging to predict recovery timelines accurately because progress can vary, and setbacks are possible. She stated her hope of not missing a significant portion of the season due to her injury.

Lavelle said she knew surgery was inevitable this offseason, after she had been dealing with a nagging foot injury for most of the 2024 season.

She underwent the procedure the month after Gotham was bounced in the semifinals by a penalty shootout. 

This was the first time Lavelle had to undergo surgery, and she expressed gratitude for how smoothly it has gone so far. Despite preferring to avoid surgical procedures, she recognized the necessity in this case and feels optimistic about her recovery process with a supportive team aiding her return to full health and the field.

Lavelle was sidelined for this month’s U.S. Women’s National Team training camp and won’t be cleared to play for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. 

Lavelle returned to Gotham’s training facility in New Jersey three weeks ago to start her rehabilitation program. She said she’s been working on regaining her strength and mobility and is eager to ditch her crutches “soon.” 

“I’m getting pretty sick of them,” she said. “But yeah, I feel like I’ve been making really, really good progress and I think our medical team here is great. So I feel in really good hands.” 

Lavelle, 29, led Gotham with 28 shots on goal and 55 total shots in her first season in New Jersey. 

Though she’s on the mend, Lavelle will join Gotham when the team heads to Spain on Tuesday for its preseason. 

Since Lavelle is focused on getting back to full strength, she said it’s too early for her to think of personal goals for the 2025 season. 

“What’s always been important for me in this profession is taking it one day at a time,” she said. “Right now, my goal is to crush my rehab and focus on getting healthy. So I think when I get closer to touching the field, that’s when I’ll start looking at that but I think right now, my main focus is just getting this right and getting healthy and getting back with the team.” 

Gotham opens its season on the road March 15 against the Seattle Reign at Lumen Field.