HARRISON, N.J. -- Forward Catarina Macario will miss the Olympics with what United States women's national team head coach Emma Hayes called "knee irritation" that developed during training this week.

Forward Lynn Williams, who participated in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the 2023 World Cup, will replace Macario on the USWNT's 2024 Olympic roster.

Defender Emily Sams will assume Williams' place as one of four alternates for the USWNT.

Sams had been training with the USWNT this week. All those moves are still pending approval from the ICO, USOPC, and FIFA, since the deadline for final rosters has already passed.

"She's devastated," Hayes said of Macario. "It's not a long-term situation; [she's] just not going to recover in time.

"I'm absolutely gutted for Cat. She's someone who has worked hard within the last 12 months. She's really put in a shift to get there, but it's not to be."

Hayes said that Macario will return to London to get treatment with her club and Hayes' former club, Chelsea.

The USWNT coach added that Macario had some irritation leading up to training this week.

Hayes called the situation "complex."

Macario tore an ACL with her old club team, Lyon, in May 2022 and was sidelined for a year and a half. She missed last year's World Cup as a result.

She made her comeback with Chelsea earlier this year, and she returned to the field for the USWNT in April at the SheBelieves Cup, marking her first appearance for her country in two years.

Williams said she hoped Macario would recover quickly.

"I think two things can be possible at one time. You can be devastated for a teammate and also excited for yourself at the same time," she said on Friday. "But right now, I'm not necessarily thinking, 'Oh, I'm excited for myself.' I'm thinking, 'How can I help the team? What does the team need from me?'

"I think that was my role as an alternate to begin with: It's staying ready and being ready when called upon. Obviously, I'm devastated for Cat.

"It's such a unique experience being in this group. It's the people that you're competing with to be on a team but also the people that understand the experience that most, the hardship the most. Obviously, Cat is going to need a second to digest this, but [I'm'] sending her all the love and hugs."

After a disappointing finish in the Women's World Cup last summer, the United States will embark on its first major tournament under new coach Hayes.

The former Chelsea coach only has two tuneup matches before the team's Olympics opener against Zambia in Nice on July 25.

Olympics women's soccer starts with a round-robin group stage followed by a knockout round. The women alternate days with the men's soccer competition at cities across France.

The group stage opens July 25. There are three groups of four teams.

Group A includes France, Canada, Colombia and New Zealand. Group B includes the United States, Zambia, Germany and Australia.

Group C includes Spain, Japan, Nigeria and Brazil.

The quarterfinals are Aug. 3 and the semifinals Aug. 6.

The bronze medal match will be played in Lyon on Aug. 9, and the gold medal match is Aug. 10 in Paris.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.