Gotham FC Defender Bruninha Out for Season, Placed on Injury List

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Oct. 13, 2026) - Gotham FC defender Bruninha will undergo surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, the club confirmed Tuesday. She will miss the remainder of the 2026 NWSL campaign and be placed on the season-ending injury list.

Bruninha sustained the injury in the 70th minute of Brazil’s 3-1 win over Argentina on Saturday in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

“Our entire organization is behind Bruna,” said Yael Averbuch West, the president of soccer operations at Gotham FC. “We know she will work incredibly hard throughout her recovery process and come back stronger.”

Bruninha, 24, is a two-time NWSL champion and continental title winner with Gotham FC. Primarily a right back, the young Brazilian has been with the club since 2022, making her one of the team’s longest-serving players, with 76 NWSL regular season appearances.

A Castro, Brazil, native, Bruninha holds club records as the youngest goal scorer in club history and the the first Gotham FC player to reach eight postseason appearances. She provided the assist on Rose Lavelle’s championship-winning goal in the 2025 NWSL final.

At the international level, Bruninha has competed in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2019 FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup. She won a trophy in 2022, leading Brazil to a U-20 South American title.