The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team has unveiled its roster for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with the notable absence of Alex Morgan. This marks the first time Morgan has missed a major tournament since the Beijing 2008 Olympics, prior to her debut with the national team.
Emma Hayes, the team’s coach, announced the selection of 18 players on Wednesday, including ten who participated in last year’s World Cup. Despite Morgan’s impressive record of 224 international matches and 123 goals, she was not included in this roster. As she approaches her 35th birthday, her omission is significant, given her status as one of the most prominent players in U.S. soccer history.
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“Making an Olympic roster is a great privilege and honor, and it cannot be denied that it was an extremely competitive process among the players, with difficult decisions, especially considering how hard everyone has worked over the past 10 months,” Hayes stated in an official release.
Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson, both of whom missed the last World Cup due to serious injuries, have been included in the Olympic roster. The team also features veterans such as goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, captain Lindsey Horan, and Crystal Dunn, who this time is listed as a forward instead of a defender.
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The average age of the U.S. Olympic team is 26.8 years, making it the youngest squad since the 2008 Olympics. This contrasts with the previous Olympic team, which had an average age four years older.
Before heading to France, the U.S. Women’s National Team will play two friendly matches: on July 13 against Mexico and on July 16 against Costa Rica. The first match of the Olympic tournament will be on July 25 against Zambia, followed by group stage matches against Germany and Australia.
Despite Morgan’s absence, the team remains strong, with a mix of seasoned players and fresh talent ready to compete on the world stage. The exclusion of such a high-profile player underscores the depth of talent within the team and the tough decisions faced by the coaching staff in their quest for Olympic glory.
Alex Morgan has been left off Emma Hayes USWNT Olympics roster.
It will be the first major international tournament that she’s missed since 2008 pic.twitter.com/36EyEo3t6j
? B/R Football (@brfootball) June 26, 2024