American midfielder Brenden Aaronson had a good excuse to miss the U.S. World Cup team’s training session on Friday — he was getting married. The 25-year-old Leeds United player tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Milana D’Ambra, who is the daughter of Saint Joseph’s men’s soccer coach Don D’Ambra.
Aaronson, who was part of the 2022 U.S. World Cup squad, left the team’s training camp after Thursday’s session and was due back in time for training on Saturday. The U.S. team granted him a one-day leave for the wedding, allowing him to celebrate his nuptials before rejoining preparations for the upcoming tournament.
Born in Medford, New Jersey, Aaronson comes from a well-known U.S. soccer family. His brother Paxten plays for Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids, and his sister Jaden played for Villanova as a freshman last fall. Their father, Rusty, is the sporting director of Real Futbol Academy in Medford.
This is not the first time the U.S. team has allowed a player to step away for a personal milestone. In 2016, star Christian Pulisic was permitted to skip training to attend his Hershey High School prom on May 27, held at the Hershey Hotel in Pennsylvania. Pulisic then returned for the following day’s Copa America match against Bolivia in Kansas City, Kansas.
The U.S. team is currently in camp preparing for the World Cup, and Aaronson’s brief absence was approved by the coaching staff. The midfielder is expected to be fully integrated back into training sessions as the team continues its buildup to the tournament.
