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For most people, tearing an ACL means months of rehabilitation. For Lukas Robbins, it meant stepping away from something that has shaped nearly every part of his life since he was 5 years old. Six months ago, Robbins fully ruptured his ACL, an injury expected to keep him away from soccer for 9 to 12 months. Now halfway through that recovery timeline, he is working toward returning to the sport he has spent most of his life pursuing. Robbins first stepped onto a soccer field at 5 after his dad encouraged him to start playing. He said he knew almost immediately that soccer was something he was good at.

“When I first kicked the ball,” Robbins said when asked when he realized he had talent.

By age 12, soccer had become more serious. Robbins left his previous team to play for South Florida Soccer, a more competitive club farther from home. He was later scouted by Inter Miami, where he spent five years developing as a center attacking midfielder, commonly known as a No. 10. At 16, Robbins achieved one of the biggest accomplishments of his career when he was named MVP of the MLS NEXT Cup. He remembers the semifinal of the tournament as the best game he has ever played.

Lukas Robbins, 16, MVP

His success, however, has required sacrifices outside of soccer. Robbins attended high school virtually so he could devote more time to training, giving up a traditional high school experience. Practices, games and training have also meant spending significant time away from his friends and family.

“People don’t realize the amount of effort and the time away from people,” Robbins said.

That sacrifice became even greater last year when Robbins left Inter Miami and moved to Nashville to continue pursuing soccer. He considers leaving his friends and family behind to be the biggest sacrifice he has made for the sport.

Throughout his development, Robbins said one of his biggest influences was Coach Chris at Inter Miami. Robbins credits him with pushing him harder than any other coach and helping make him the player he is today.

Then came his ACL injury.

Robbins after his ACL reconstruction surgery

Although Robbins expects returning to soccer to be difficult at first, he hopes the injury will not change the player he is in the long term. Even while facing the longest period he has spent away from the game, quitting has never crossed his mind.

Robbins in physical therapy

His life still revolves around soccer, and the goal that motivated all of those sacrifices remains the same: signing a professional contract.