United States star Sydney Leroux has incredibly returned to pre-season training nearly six months pregnant.

The Orlando Pride forward is expecting her second child with husband Dom Dwyer, a fellow USA international who plays for Orlando City in MLS.

And Leroux shared pictures this week on social media that showed her being put through her paces with a prominent bump.

"I didn't think I’d be starting off preseason 5.5 months pregnant but here we are," she wrote, while Orlando also posted some images of Leroux.

There was some initial backlash to Leroux's revelation, but the 28-year-old clarified that she is chiefly doing non-contact work and was not taking any risks.

"I just do non-contact stuff. Ball work. Getting touches in," she said. "I don't put myself in situations where the ball can ricochet or I can get hit.

"No high intensity running and I listen to my OB (who knows more than people on twitter telling me what I shouldn't be doing with MY body)."