(NEW YORK) — U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan is sharing her disappointment in not being included on the Team USA Olympic women’s soccer team ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage,” Morgan wrote Wednesday in a post on X.
“This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest,” she continued.
Despite the disappointment, Morgan offered her support for Team USA as they take on the world’s top squads, starting with group play on July 25.
“In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG,” she finished.
Morgan included a photo of herself in USA gear, walking onto the field of play.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes named the roster on Wednesday, selecting eight players from the 2020 Olympics squad that included Morgan (which played in 2021.)
After the announcement, at a news conference, Hayes said it was a “tough decision.”
“I mean first off, I want to talk about what an amazing player and human Alex Morgan has been,” said Hayes. “Her record speaks for itself.”
“It was a tough decision, of course, especially considering Alex’s history and record with this team, but I felt that I wanted to go in another direction and selected other players,” she said.
Morgan has played on four World Cup teams with Team USA, winning the tournament twice, and three Olympic teams, including a gold medal win in 2012.
The roster will include 18 players and four alternates, 10 of which played in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honor and there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process among the players and that there were difficult choices, especially considering how hard everyone has worked over the past 10 months,” said Hayes in a statement included in the release.
The team opens group play in France on July 25 versus Zambia.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
