New coach drops star Alex Morgan from US women’s squad for Paris 2024

New USA head coach Emma Hayes named her 18-man squad for the tournament and there was no place for the 34-year-old striker, who has scored 123 goals in 224 appearances for the national team.

Hayes has opted for Trinity Rodman, Jaedyn Shaw, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson as her main forward options in the team’s bid for a fifth Olympic gold medal and first since Paris 2012.

Morgan was part of the USA team that won their last Olympic gold in London in 2012 and was also a key player in the 2015 and 2019 World Cup-winning teams.

“I’m disappointed not to have the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage. This tournament will always be close to my heart and I feel immense pride every time I wear the jersey,” the San Diego Wave player said in a social media post.

“In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on with the rest of our country,” added the standout forward from San Dimas, California.

Coach Hayes said Morgan was an “incredible player and person” and admitted it was a tough decision.

“I only had one opportunity to work with her at the last camp and I saw first-hand not only her qualities but also her professionalism and her record speaks for itself,” said the England coach, who took over the USA reins last month after a successful spell with Chelsea in her native England.

“It’s not easy to make a decision when there are only 16 outfield players and two goalkeepers in an 18-man squad, so it was obviously a difficult decision”.

“Especially considering Alex’s history and record with this team, but I felt I wanted to go in a different direction and pick different players,” the coach added.

The striker was initially left out of the USA squad for the recent CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, but was called up as a last-minute replacement due to injury.

Morgan, a star of her country’s football, has been a member of the USA squad since the 2011 World Cup and will miss out on Paris 2024 after an injury-plagued season.

Before heading to France, the USA will take on Mexico in a friendly in New Jersey on 13 July and Costa Rica in Washington D.C. three days later.

The USA have been drawn in Group B at the Olympic Games, where they will face Zambia, Germany and Australia.