Brenden Aaronson Marries Milana D’Ambra During World Cup Camp

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — While his U.S. teammates went through their paces on Friday, Brenden Aaronson was busy making a very different kind of commitment.

The Leeds United midfielder, in camp with the U.S. World Cup squad, skipped training with full permission to marry longtime girlfriend Milana D’Ambra, daughter of Saint Joseph’s men’s soccer coach Don D’Ambra.

Aaronson left the national team camp after Thursday’s session and was scheduled to rejoin the group in time for training on Saturday, a brief detour from World Cup preparation for one of the team’s most energetic midfielders.

At 25, Aaronson has already carved out a place for himself in the Premier League with Leeds and on the international stage as a member of the 2022 U.S. World Cup team. His wedding adds another chapter to a family that has become a familiar name in American soccer circles.

The Aaronsons hail from Medford, New Jersey, where the sport runs through the household. Brenden’s younger brother, Paxten, plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer, while sister Jaden appeared for Villanova as a freshman last fall. Their father, Rusty, helps shape the next generation as sporting director of Real Futbol Academy in Medford.

This is not the first time U.S. Soccer has bent the schedule for a milestone moment. In 2016, Christian Pulisic was allowed to skip a training session to attend his Hershey High School prom at the Hershey Hotel in Pennsylvania. He returned the next day and featured in the Copa America match against Bolivia in Kansas City, Kansas.

For Aaronson, the balance between life and football tilted briefly toward the personal on Friday. By Saturday, it was back to work.