Brenden Aaronson Takes a Wedding Break from World Cup Training Camp
Brenden Aaronson, the United States midfielder, took a brief hiatus from World Cup training on Friday for a heartfelt reason: his wedding to longtime girlfriend Milana D’Ambra, daughter of Saint Joseph’s men’s soccer coach Don D’Ambra. The Leeds United player left the training camp after the session on Thursday and is set to rejoin the squad for practice on Saturday. At 25 years old, Aaronson, hailing from Medford, New Jersey, comes from a notable soccer family; his brother Paxten plays for MLS's Colorado Rapids, and his sister Jaden previously played for Villanova. Their father, Rusty, serves as the sporting director of Real Futbol Academy. This situation isn’t unprecedented for the national team. In 2016, Christian Pulisic was allowed to miss training for his high school prom before returning for a Copa America match. Mauricio Pochettino announced his World Cup squad earlier this week, anticipating that Aaronson will play a crucial role as the co-hosts aim for a deep run in this summer’s tournament. The USA will kick off their World Cup journey on 12 June against Paraguay in Inglewood, California. Following that, they will face Australia in Seattle on 19 June and conclude the group stage against Turkey on 25 June. This marks the USA’s 11th appearance at a World Cup, though they have yet to advance past the round of 16 this century. They were eliminated in the first knockout round in 2010, 2014, and 2022, and did not qualify in 2018. This time, the team hopes to leverage home-field advantage, with players like Aaronson and Pulisic needing to perform at their best to challenge the tournament favorites.
Source: The Independent Sport - 2026-05-29