US women’s national team star Alex Morgan will not compete in the Olympics this summer after being left out of Emma Hayes’ roster.
Morgan was not among the names Hayes listed when the squad was unveiled in late June, making the 2024 Olympics the first the gold medalist will miss since the 2008 Games. It was a reflection of Morgan’s less-than-ideal form this year : He scored just three goals for club or country in 2024 at the time of the announcement.
“Today I am disappointed that I did not have the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage,” Morgan wrote in a statement on social media that day. “This will always be a tournament close to my heart and I take immense pride when I wear the badge. In less than a month I look forward to supporting this team and watching them join the rest of our country encourage.LFG.”
Why was Alex Morgan left out of the squad?
Hayes attributed the move both to the limited 18-person roster for the Olympics, and to the format that allows teams to play as many as six games in just 17 days. However, the head coach also suggested that Morgan’s exclusion was based on her recent form, as several players were ahead of her at the time.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to make,” Hayes said at the time. “There are only sixteen outfield players and two goalkeepers in a squad of eighteen, so it was a difficult decision, especially given Alex’s history and achievements with this team, but I felt I wanted to go in a different direction and selected other players selected.
“We have a tight turnaround time between games so it is of course important to have players on the squad who can play in more than one position, in terms of squad depth, but I also think there are players on the selection are in the forward areas that are performing well and the decision to take those players was one that we certainly thought about, but I think it’s a balanced selection I took into consideration all the factors that we during the Olympic Games will need and I am very happy with that.”
Morgan has just two goals for the national team in 2024 and just one for the San Diego Wave in their NWSL Challenge Cup victory in March. Since that victory, she had not scored for either club or country.
Who’s on the list instead?
Hayes went to the Olympics with a younger, more in-form group of forwards: Crystal Dunn, Trinity Rodman, Jaedyn Shaw, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson and Lynn Williams. Additionally, NWSL rookie Croix Bethune made the cut as an alternate.
The group is mostly made up of young stars, although Dunn and Williams add veteran experience. Swanson is Morgan’s closest like-for-like replacement and is expected to play as a striker for the USWNT, flanked by Smith and Rodman, just as Morgan did at the Women’s World Cup last year. However, the versatile Smith can also play in that position.
They all came into the competition in strong form, especially at club level. Every player has at least one goal and assist in the NWSL this season, with the USWNT’s presumed starters really shining. Smith has 10 goals and six assists for the Portland Thorns this season, while Swanson has seven goals and three assists for the Chicago Red Stars and Rodman has five goals and four assists for the Washington Spirit.
What is the future of Alex Morgan?
Morgan has given no indication that she will retire from the national team, and Hayes has not spoken about Morgan’s future with the team at this time.
