ENCINITAS — Professional soccer star Alex Morgan of Encinitas will not compete for the U.S. women’s national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to a June 26 announcement.
Morgan, a 34-year-old striker for the San Diego Wave women’s soccer team, was not included on the team’s roster under new coach Emma Hayes, marking the first Olympics without Morgan since 2008.
The 18 players and four alternates consist of 10 players from the 2023 Women’s World Cup team and nine first-time Olympians, including Morgan’s Wave teammates, defender Naomi Girma and forward Jaedyn Shaw, along with goalkeeper Casey Murphy, defenders Emily Fox and Jenna Nighswonger, midfielders Korbin Albert and Sam Coffey and forwards Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith.
“Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honor, and there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process among the players and that there were difficult choices, especially considering how hard everyone has worked over the past 10 months,” said Hayes. “Choosing an 18-player roster plus alternates involved many considerations, but I am excited for the group we have selected, and I’m looking forward to building on the work from last camp as we head into the Send-Off matches and then onto France. These are great opportunities for us to continue to show the progress we are making.”
Only eight players from the 2020 Olympic team will return this year, including goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, defenders Tierna Davidson, Casey Krueger and Emily Sonnett, midfielders Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Catarina Macario, and forward Crystal Dunn.
Morgan, a two-time Olympic medalist with Team USA (gold and bronze), shared her feelings about being left off the roster Wednesday in a post on social media.
“Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage,” Morgan wrote on X. “This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest. In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG.”
Morgan is a two-time Women’s World Cup champion and has competed for the U.S. women’s national team at the Olympics in London (2012), Rio (2016) and Tokyo (2020). Over her career, Morgan has scored 123 goals for Team USA, ranking her fifth all-time among current and former players. She was also co-captain of the 2023 World Cup team in New Zealand and Australia.
In 2012, Morgan became the youngest U.S. player to score 20 goals in a single season and is considered one of the greatest female soccer players ever.
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team will play in a preparation match against Mexico on July 13 at Red Bull Arena in NJ (3:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, Telemundo, Universo, Max, Peacock) and in a 2024 Send-Off Match against Costa Rica on July 16 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, Universo, Max, Peacock).
In Group B at the Paris Olympics, Team USA will face Zambia on July 25 in Nice (9 p.m. local), Germany on July 28 (9 p.m. local), and Australia on July 31 (7 p.m. local), both in Marseille, France.
GOALKEEPERS (2): Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 19), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 104)
DEFENDERS (6): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 58/3), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 49/1), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 32/0), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit; 49/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 9/2), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 91/2)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 11/0), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 17/1), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 148/35), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 100/24), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 19/8)
FORWARDS (5): Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 147/25), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 38/7), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 14/7), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 48/19), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars; 92/34)
Alternates: Goalkeeper Jane Campbell, midfielder Hal Hershfelt, midfielder Croix Bethune and forward Lynn Williams.
