Alex Morgan’s Changing Role on the USWNT
The USWNT simply wouldn’t have the recent legacy that it does without players like Alex Morgan. So, when she was notably absent from the first roster for the recent Gold Cup, people started talking. Morgan did end up playing–replacing the injured USWNT newbie Mia Fishel–and bringing that same leadership and power that we’ve come to expect, but her initial absence has still left a lot of questions. It’s no secret that we’ve seen a lot of change in professional women’s soccer in just the last year between retirements, call-ups, and roster changes, so what does all of this mean for Morgan?
So, first things first, was this a snub? The short answer is no. While Morgan has been an extraordinary player for the past decade, there is more soccer talent in the country than maybe ever before. This is the first tournament since the World Cup and a perfect opportunity to see how a newer, fresher squad could play together.
There’s absolutely no denying Morgan’s greatness, but despite her goal in the opener of the Gold Cup, this performance was still not her strongest. Her point was off of a PK and the best chance she had for an in-play goal went way wide. Later in the tournament, she made the call to pass off a pivotal PK against Columbia to Lindsey Horan, and it was the right choice because the captain capitalized.
Morgan played well in this tournament, but she didn’t play the game we’re all used to seeing. She was an excellent support player, setting up points for Jaedyn Shaw and Lindsey Horan and causing plenty of trouble on set pieces. None of this is to undersell Morgan’s performance. There’s just no denying she has changed as a player.
Since 2011, when Morgan scored her first World Cup goal as a sub for Abby Wambach, it’s felt like the USWNT has been building a lot of their offensive decisions around her. She’s made a name internationally and domestically with her play style and her personality. She’s in the record books with fellow GOATs Mia Hamm and Christine Sinclair.
A lot of the fresh faces in the NWSL and USWNT grew up watching Morgan and Rapinoe being the one-two punch on the frontline. She was unstoppable in the 2019 World Cup and managed to net her sixth international hat trick at the 2020 Olympics. But with so many big retirements this year and new players like Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman coming up with speed on the top, it seems like Morgan’s experience is her biggest asset.
She has seen more World Cups than any other player on the Gold Cup roster. That said, Morgan represents the last of the old guard for the USWNT. What Morgan was to Abby Wambach is what Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan are to her—the newcomers who quickly proved themselves to be leaders.
While she and Wave have been holding it down in the NWSL, it’s hard to deny that her performance at the last World Cup was not up to her own standard. There were missed shots and fumbled chances at really pivotal moments. She didn’t have the speed this front line is used to. Overall, her presence was just off. After 13 years as a member of the most highly scrutinized professional sports team in the world, that’s bound to happen.
Maybe the biggest scrutiny the coaching staff faced during the 2023 World Cup was underutilizing the bench. Who knows how different the outcome could have been if Lynn Williams—a player a lot like Morgan ten years ago—had been given the time she deserved. There is definitely an argument to be made about retiring on top and making space for the next generation to take over. At 35, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she chose to take a step back from international play. Focusing just on NWSL makes sense. She would have a better chance of staying healthy as her career comes closer to the end and the chance to spend more time with her family.
Will this absence carry over to the Paris Olympics this summer? Probably not. If Morgan is healthy and willing, we would put money on her appearing on the roster for the USWNT this summer, but as a second-half sub, not unlike her role at the Gold Cup and Rapinoe in Australia. But odds are this would be her last Olympics if she is selected.
If we were to see Morgan retire this year or in the near future, it would truly be the end of an era. But what I want more than anything for this absolute legend and role model is for her to go out on her terms, not due to injury or being forced out to make space. Alex Morgan has paved the way for so many young players and will continue to do so even after she decides to hang up her boots. Only time will tell what Morgan’s almost absence from this tournament could mean, but we will be keeping an eye on things until then.
Featured image via Daniel Gray
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