I'm disappointed"- Alex Morgan opens up about being left off the USWNT Olympics roster for the first time since 2008

By Nancy Singh

Modified Jun 27, 2024 16:01 GMT

Alex Morgan will not be representing her country at the Paris Olympics 2024, as her name was not added to the United States' women's national soccer team's roster. Emma Hayes, the new head coach of the women's national team, has chosen the squad.

Alex Morgan is one of the prominent faces of the U.S. national team and has been competing in the field for more than a decade. She is a three-time Olympian, having competed in the 2012 London Olympics, the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the 2020 Tokyo Games. She also qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after she helped her team win their third consecutive CONCACAF title; however, she wasn't added to the USWNT.

Morgan opened up about her feelings about being left off the Olympic team's roster on her X handle. She was "disappointed" by the decision; however, she is looking forward to supporting her team from the sidelines.

"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 anytime I put in the crest."

She added,

"In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG"

New head coach opens up about Alex Morgan's absence from the USWNT roster

The United States Women's National Soccer Team has released the names of the players who will be representing the country at the upcoming Paris Olympics. The absence of Alex Morgan, who will turn 35 in the coming week, came as a shock to all the fans and enthusiasts.

However, the new head coach, Emma Hayes, who selected the 18-member Olympic team, has stated that the players on the roster are comparatively younger than previous years. This year's roster, with an average age of 26.8, is the youngest for the US Olympic team since 2008.

Hayes said that building the Olympic roster wasn't an easy job for her to do, and that "there were difficult choices." (via CBS News)

"It was an extremely competitive process," said Emma 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."

She added:

"These are great opportunities for us to continue to show the progress we are making."

Alex Morgan has scored 123 goals for the US in her career and has helped the team win their titles at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2015, she was ranked as the top-paid American women's soccer player, and was also named as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2019 and 2022.