2019 Royals Player Profiles: Diana Matheson

2019 was a weird year for Diana Matheson. In 2018, Matheson had 18 starts and two goals for the club. Many expected her to continue to be an impact player with Utah Royals FC and Canada in 2019, but this was anything but the case.

Matheson, who was expected to spend most of the season with the Canadian National Team at the World Cup, found herself not ever even seeing the field in 2019. This wasn’t due to the World Cup though; it was due to injury. Matheson has dealt with injury through the majority of her career, even having torn her ACL in the past, and once again an injury would keep her out for the season.

Matheson joined the Canadian National Team for their World Cup preparation camp, but quickly thereafter, it was announced she would be unable to compete at the World Cup due to injury. Matheson spent the remainder of the season trying to recover.

Matheson’s injury forced Utah Royals FC to find a replacement in the midfield which led to signing Mallory Weber from the Portland Thorns FC midway through the season. Weber recently re-signed with the team to continue with URFC into the 2020 season.

Weber is just 25 years old and fell into her role with the Royals very well last season. It’s tough to see how Matheson will fit in with the starting 11 in the future after her absence in 2019.

Matheson’s 2019 campaign may not have gone according to the original plan but she has not announced any intent on retiring and should be expected to continue playing in 2020.