Angel City's King on recovery: 'Better than ever'

Angel City FC defender Savy King publicly credited her team's medical staff with saving her life after she collapsed without contact during an NWSL home game against Utah Royals FC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on May 9. King, 20, received over 10 minutes of on-field treatment, including chest compressions and the use of an AED, before being transported to the hospital.

At the hospital, doctors discovered King had a congenital heart abnormality, an anomalous left coronary artery. She underwent surgery a few days later, where doctors created a new pathway for blood flow to the artery. King stated she had no prior history of heart issues.

Despite having no timetable for her return to play, King expressed deep gratitude to the medical staff during an interview with Good Morning America, saying "They saved my life... I play for them, too, now." She is expected to make a full recovery and anticipates returning to soccer "better than ever," calling herself "Savy 2.0".

The decision to continue the May 9th match after King's collapse drew criticism from fans and the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA). A week later, the NWSL admitted the game should have been stopped and stated that "in any similar situation going forward the game should and would be abandoned." The NWSLPA called this admission and future policy change "a meaningful step forward."

The NWSL regular season resumes on August 1st, with Angel City FC scheduled to play Seattle Reign FC.