Canada Olympic champion Scott 'heartbroken' to miss out on World Cup squad

Heartbroken Canadian midfielder Desiree Scott said missing the Women's World Cup will be one of the most difficult things she has ever experienced but acknowledged that her injury rehabilitation was not where it needed to be to play her best.

Scott, nicknamed the 'Destroyer', has 186 caps and played in the 2011, 2015 and 2019 World Cups but was left out of coach Bev Priestman's 23-player squad announced on Sunday.

"Heartbroken to know I will not be a part of the World Cup this summer, despite every effort and final push in my rehab process to make it so," Scott posted on Instagram.

"This team has my heart and are my family and deserve the best version of Desiree Scott.

"Missing this tournament will be one of the hardest things I've had to do but if my rehab process has taught me anything it's that I still love this game so much and nothing worth having comes easy. I'll continue to put in the work to get back to being the Destroyer we all know."

Scott, who plays for the NWSL's Kansas City Current, suffered a knee injury at the end of the 2022 season that required surgery but got an invitation to Priestman's 25-player pre-World Cup camp.

"Team - shine bright and go show the world exactly who we are! So much belief in you all! Enjoy every moment of the climb and know all of Canada is behind you!" the 35-year-old wrote.

Scott won gold for Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was also on the Olympic teams that captured bronze in 2012 and '16.

Canada play a closed-door friendly against England on Friday before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Nigeria on July 21. They also face Ireland and hosts Australia in Group B.