Current:Home > InvestWhy USWNT coach Emma Hayes says she left Alex Morgan off Olympic roster-LoTradeCoin
Why USWNT coach Emma Hayes says she left Alex Morgan off Olympic roster
View Date:2024-12-24 00:43:42
U.S. women's national team coach Emma Hayes spoke on Wednesday after the roster was announced for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Forward Alex Morgan was not one of the 18 players named to the squad, which Hayes addressed at the top of her conference call with reporters.
“First off, I want to talk about what an amazing player and human that Alex Morgan has been. I've only had one opportunity to work with her in the last camp and saw firsthand not just her qualities but her professionalism. Her record speaks for itself,” Hayes said of Morgan, who was also not asked to be an alternate.
“It was not easy making a decision. There are 16 outfield players and two goalkeepers on a roster of 18. It was a tough decision, especially considering Alex’s record and history with this team. I felt wanted to go in another direction and selected other players.”
Get Olympics updates in your texts! Join USA TODAY Sports' WhatsApp Channel
Hayes emphasized versatility was a huge factor in the roster decisions. She also said a few times on the call that younger players need to get experience.
“The biggest factor is 16 outfield players. To play a lot of games, arguably, I hope over a 17-day period, having a roster that could adapt is essential. Have tight turnaround between games. Having players on the roster that could play more than one position mattered with squad depth. I also think the players on the roster, in the forward areas, that are performing well. The decision to take those players was one that we certainly deliberated over.”
USWNT roster for Paris Olympics
Here is the USWNT roster for the Paris Olympics. International caps and goals are in parenthesis.
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)
What Alex Morgan said about being left off USWNT roster
“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 posted on social media. “In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG”
How many Olympics has Alex Morgan been to?
Morgan has participated in three Olympics: the 2012 games in London, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and the 2020 games in Tokyo.
How many goals has Alex Morgan scored?
Alex Morgan has made 224 appearances for the U.S. women's national team, scoring 123 goals and recording 53 assists. She earned her first cap March 31, 2010, in an international friendly against Mexico, a 1-0 U.S. victory. She has been a part of four World Cup rosters.
Morgan scored her first USWNT goal Oct. 6, 2010, in an international friendly against China, an eventual 1-1 draw. Morgan also served as the co-captain of the USWNT from 2018 through 2020.
She became the 13th player in USWNT history to reach 200 caps in a November 2022 match against Germany. She is the active leading USWNT goal scorer and fifth on the all-time list.
veryGood! (62256)
Related
- Richard Allen found guilty in the murders of two teens in Delphi, Indiana. What now?
- Nick Cannon Pays Tribute to His and Alyssa Scott's Son Zen 2 Years After His Death
- An alligator in Texas was found totally submerged in frozen water – still alive with its heart barely beating
- Former West Virginia health official pleads guilty in COVID-19 payment investigation
- Record-setting dry conditions threaten more US wildfires, drinking water supplies
- 23 skiers, snowboarders rescued from Vermont backcountry in deadly temperatures
- Panera Charged Lemonade linked to alleged deaths, lawsuits: Everything that's happened so far
- Burton Wilde: Four Techniques for Securely Investing in Cryptocurrencies.
- Week 10 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard leagues
- Nikki Haley mostly avoids identity politics as Republican woman running for president in 2024
Ranking
- Lions find way to win, Bears in tough spot: Best (and worst) from NFL Week 10
- Dexter Scott King, son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., dies of cancer at 62
- ‘League of Legends’ developer Riot Games announces layoffs of 530 staff
- The trial of a Honolulu businessman is providing a possible glimpse of Hawaii’s underworld
- The Best Gifts for People Who Don’t Want Anything
- More than 150 DWI cases dismissed as part of federal public corruption probe in New Mexico
- Criminals are extorting money from taxi drivers in Mexico’s Cancun, as they have done in Acapulco
- The Excerpt podcast: Grand jury to consider charging police in Uvalde school shooting
Recommendation
-
California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to China
-
What is the healthiest bell pepper? The real difference between red, green and yellow.
-
'Model inmate': Missouri corrections officers seek death penalty reprieve for Brian Dorsey
-
Saturday's Texans vs. Ravens playoff game was ESPN's most-watched NFL game of all time
-
Brianna LaPaglia Reacts to Rumors Dave Portnoy Paid Her $10 Million for a Zach Bryan Tell-All
-
'Send your pup here!' Video shows incredible dog help rescue its owner from icy lake
-
21 Israeli soldiers are killed in the deadliest single attack on the army since the war began
-
Shirtless Jason Kelce loses his mind celebrating Travis Kelce touchdown at Bills game