Alex Morgan, a highly decorated player in U.S. women’s soccer history, was not selected for the American roster heading to the Olympics in France. First-year coach Emma Hayes named 18 players to the squad in an effort to return the team to its elite status following disappointing performances at the 2023 World Cup and Tokyo Olympics. Morgan, who started in all four matches at the World Cup but did not score, expressed disappointment at not being able to represent her country on the Olympic stage. Hayes acknowledged the difficulty of the selection process but is excited about the group chosen.
The rest of the roster includes familiar faces such as Alyssa Naeher, Rose Lavelle, and Crystal Dunn, with newcomers like Trinity Rodman and Casey Murphy also making the cut. Alternates include goalkeeper Jane Campbell and forward Lynn Williams. The team has two more exhibition games before their Olympic opener on July 25 against Zambia in Nice, France.
Morgan, who has two World Cup titles and Olympic medals on her resume, vowed to support her former teammates from home. Her famous goal in the 2012 Olympics semifinals helped propel the United States to gold. The team is aiming to avoid a third consecutive Olympics without a top prize and will have to rely on a mix of experienced veterans and promising newcomers to achieve their goals.
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