Alex Morgan has been a fixture on the USWNT for a long time, from World Cups to Olympics. At 34 years old, it’s not like she’s elderly in soccer years.
Yet she’s not going to the Paris Olympics with a team of 18 players announced on Wednesday, a shocking turn of events for the all-time great.
It could be because the roster is smaller for the Olympic tournament, so the players might need to be versatile. It could be because she’s not necessarily in the best of form in the NWSL, and has dealt with an injury.
Whatever it is, soccer fans are stunned:
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
Wowee. No Alex Morgan. End of an era. https://t.co/uVZ7TmJbeC
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) June 26, 2024
no alex morgan in the olympics. pic.twitter.com/dY7cmPInvB
— (@alexmrgans) June 26, 2024
Idk how you leave Alex Morgan off the roster and include Korbin Albert #USWNT https://t.co/LBDeHUSQ3M
— Katie Chrystler (@kchrystler) June 26, 2024
i know im supposed to understand no alex morgan in the olympics is the right choice but it makes me sad :(
— whitney medworth (@its_whitney) June 26, 2024
Morgan tweeted this after the announcement:
Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage. 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… pic.twitter.com/NAXmQnNN8B
— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) June 26, 2024