Sydney Leroux hints at return following absence from the 2025 NWSL season.
Angel City FC forward Sydney Leroux hinted at a return to play in a social media update on Tuesday after being absent for the entirety of last year due to an excused leave.
“This comeback is for you,” Leroux stated on social media, acknowledging those who have supported her throughout the past year. “I’ll see you soon.”
Last year, Leroux revealed just a day prior to Angel City’s season opener that she would “step away from soccer for my mental health.” She affirmed at that time that she intended to return.
Leroux, who will turn 36 in May, has been a participant in the NWSL since its launch in 2013 and has been with Angel City since the summer of 2022.
She was a member of the United States team that won the World Cup in 2015 and has made 77 appearances for the senior national squad.
In her Instagram update on Tuesday, Leroux did not provide details regarding her absence from the 2025 NWSL season.
“The hardest year of my life,” Leroux expressed. “Heartbreaking, isolating and devastating. A year that will remain with me forever. A year that transformed me.”
She added: “I fought and I clawed my way through everything that should have broken me. For that, I am eternally thankful to everyone who offered me love, grace, patience, and support.”
When contacted for a statement, an Angel City representative did not offer additional information about Leroux’s return or her status on the roster.
Leroux was still categorized as an excused absence when Angel City released its preseason roster in January. She is contracted with the club until 2027.
Angel City FC will commence its 2026 season on March 15 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles against the Chicago Stars.
The team will be without retired veterans Christen Press and Ali Riley for the first time. Both players were among the initial signings for Angel City ahead of its 2022 expansion season. They retired at the conclusion of 2025.
