It’s the end of an era for the U.S. women’s national soccer team.
Longtime striker Alex Morgan has been left off the team’s 2024 Olympic roster, which was released Wednesday, for the Summer Games in Paris this summer.
What Alex Morgan said about missing the Olympics
This summer will be first time Morgan hasn’t represented the U.S. at the Olympics since 2008. Women’s soccer has been played at eight Olympics — the U.S. has competed in all eight — and Morgan has played in three of those.
“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,” Morgan wrote on Instagram Wednesday. “In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country.”
She was one of 19 players in the history of the women’s national team to play in at least three Olympics. Without the soon-to-be 35-year-old Morgan, team captain Lindsey Horan, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and Crystal Dunn have the most Olympic experience on the team, having played in two each.
The U.S. has won four Olympic gold medals but hasn’t won higher than bronze since 2012, which was Morgan’s Olympic debut. She scored the game-winning goal in the semifinals of that Olympics to send the U.S. to the gold medal match.
What Emma Hayes said about leaving Alex Morgan off the Olympics roster
Morgan was included on new head coach Emma Hayes’ first roster for two friendlies against South Korea earlier this month.
Hayes kept Morgan out of the first game due to minor injury concerns but had Morgan start the second game.
“First off, I want to talk about what an amazing player and human Alex Morgan has been. I’ve only had one opportunity to work with her in the last camp, and I saw firsthand, not just her qualities, but her professionalism. Her record speaks for itself,” head coach Emma Hayes said Wednesday. “Second of all, it’s not easy making a decision that there’s only 16 outfield players and two goalkeepers on a roster of 18. So it was a tough decision, of course, especially considering Alex’s history and record of this team, but I felt that I wanted to go in another direction.”
Why isn’t Lily Yohannes on the USWNT Olympics roster?
Of note, 17-year-old Lily Yohannes, who made her USWNT debut and scored her first goal for the team in the last match against South Korea, was also left off the roster.
Hayes told reporters Wednesday that Yohannes is still undecided on if she wants to spend her international career representing the U.S. or the Netherlands, where she has lived since she was 10 years old.
“Lily was a consideration for this roster,” Hayes said. “Lily hasn’t made a decision about her future, and I support that. I’m sure everybody can appreciate she’s a young player that, you know, really, really enjoyed her time with us at the last camp. But it’s an important decision, and one that I support.”
Hayes emphasized that this isn’t yet the end of the relationship for Yohannes and the U.S., saying she will continue working with Yohannes beyond the Olympics.
Who made the USWNT 2024 Olympics roster?
Eight of the 18 players were on the previous Olympic roster when the U.S. earned the bronze medal.
The average age for this team is 26.8 years, four years younger than the average age for the previous Olympic team. It is the “fourth-youngest roster the USA has ever sent to the Olympics and the youngest since 2008,” according to U.S. Soccer.
There are no Utah ties on this roster with both Ashley Hatch and Olivia Moultrie being left off. Hatch hasn’t been called up to the national team since December, and Moultrie is recovering from a knee injury, she shared on Instagram last week.
The following 18 players were named to the 2024 Paris Olympics roster for the USWNT:
Goalkeepers:
- Casey Murphy
- Alyssa Naeher
Defenders:
- Tierna Davidson
- Emily Fox
- Naomi Girma
- Casey Krueger
- Jenna Nighswonger
- Emily Sonnett
Midfielders:
- Korbin Albert
- Sam Coffey
- Lindsey Horan
- Rose Lavelle
- Catarina Macario
Forwards:
- Crystal Dunn
- Trinity Rodman
- Jaedyn Shaw
- Sophia Smith
- Mallory Swanson
The U.S. is allowed to bring four alternates that can be used only to replace an injured player. Once that injured player has been replaced, they cannot return to play. The alternates for the USWNT are:
- Goalkeeper Jane Campbell
- Midfielder Hal Hershfelt
- Midfielder Croix Bethune
- Forward Lynn Williams
The U.S. will play two final matches on July 13 and July 16 before heading to Paris.