Alex Morgan has been left out of the US women’s national team’s 2024 Olympic roster, marking the team’s first major tournament without the star forward since the 2008 Olympics, ahead of her debut with the team.
USWNT coach Emma Hayes named her 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday, calling up 10 players who competed in last year’s World Cup.
Morgan, who turns 35 next week, is not among them.
Morgan’s 224 caps and 123 goals are the most among active American players, and rank ninth and fifth respectively in program history.
“Being named to the Olympic roster is a huge privilege and honour, and there is no denying that it has been a very competitive process among the players and that there have been difficult choices, especially given how hard everyone has worked over the past 10 months,” Hayes said. In the current situation.
Midfielder Catarina Macario and forward Mallory Swanson have both been named to the USWNT Olympic roster after missing the 2023 World Cup due to serious injuries.
Hayes’ roster includes several veterans, including goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, captain and midfielder Lindsay Horan, and Crystal Dunn — listed as a forward, not a defender — making their third Olympic roster.
Hayes officially took over her USWNT coaching role late last month after accepting the job in November. She hopes to guide the USWNT to its first Olympic gold medal since the 2012 London Games.
The Americans are looking to bounce back from their worst result at a major tournament after crashing out of the 2023 World Cup in the round of 16.
The average age of the USWNT’s Olympic roster is 26.8 years old, according to US Soccer, the youngest at the Olympic Games since 2008 and four years younger than the team’s previous Olympic roster.
Fullback Jenna Nighsonger, midfielder Corbin Albert, midfielder Sam Coffey, and forward Jaeden Shaw all made their first senior roster appearances.
Coffey had a brief injury scare earlier this month but returned to play for her club, the Portland Thorns, on Saturday.
Albert received significant playing time for the USWNT this year but came under scrutiny in March due to his social media activity that appeared to be anti-LGBTQIA+.
Albert later apologized, and Horan and Morgan briefly addressed the media from the following USWNT camp to say they were disappointed, and the matter would be dealt with internally.
Hayes has since spoken about creating an inclusive environment, a point she made moments after Albert was booed by fans of the home team in Colorado.
“I want everyone to be patient,” Hayes said after the game. “There are a lot of young players on the field. They are learning, but they want to give everything for their shirt; they want to give everything for their country. Off the field, some make mistakes, others have to learn. My job as a coach is to help teach them And guide them.
“We want to create a tolerant, respectful and inclusive environment. But I want to make sure that when our players come to play and represent the national team, I want you to know that I will always make sure to educate them and do the right things in the background to make sure everyone is committed to that.”
“But I want to make sure that our players, when they come out and play with us, feel supported by all of us. That’s really important to me. Happy Pride. It’s a good month.”
Veteran striker Lynn Williams and goalkeeper Jane Campbell join uncapped midfielders Hal Hirschfeldt and Croix Bethune as four substitutes in the squad, who are not official Olympic players unless they replace a player on the roster, but will travel to France with the team.
The USWNT Olympic roster will play two matches together before departing for France: July 13 against Mexico and July 16 against Costa Rica.
The United States opens its women’s Olympic matches on July 25 against Zambia, followed by group matches against Germany and Australia.
The USWNT has won a medal in all but one of the seven Olympic Games featuring women’s soccer, including four gold medals.
The Americans won three consecutive gold medals in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
They won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Games in 2021.
List of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team by position (Caps/Goals):
Goalkeepers (2): Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 19), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars, 104)
Defenders (6): Tierna Davidson (New Jersey/New York Gotham; 58/3), Emily Fox (Arsenal, England; 49/1), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 32/0), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit; 49/0), Jenna Negsonger (New Jersey/New York Gotham FC; 9/2), Emily Sonnett (New Jersey/New York Gotham FC; 91/2)
Midfielders (5): Corbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, France; 11/0), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 17/1), Lindsay Horan (Olympique Lyonnais, France; 148/35), Rose Lavelle (New Jersey/New York Gotham FC ; 100/24), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, England; 19/8)
Strikers (5): Crystal Dunn (New Jersey/New York Gotham FC; 147/25), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 38/7), Jaden Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 14/7), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns; 48/19) Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars, 92/34)
Alternatives: Goalkeeper Jane Campbell, midfielder Hal Hirschfeldt, midfielder Croix Bethune and striker Lane Williams.
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