U.S. Women’s Team coach Emma Hayes says selecting the final 18-member squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics Women’s Football Tournament was an ‘extremely competitive process’.
On Wednesday, Hayes named the 18-player roster plus four alternates, with just eight players from the 2020 Olympics making a return and 10 players from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Team also included.
The list also includes four newcomers set to make their debuts at any top-tier football tournament.
Despite having many experienced players in the squad, there’s an exclusion of 35-year-old striker Alex Morgan, who has struggled to find the back of the net in the 2024 NWSL. Morgan has played eight matches in the league.
Speaking shortly after unveiling the squad, Hayes stated that all the players on the team worked hard to make the team.
She added that she is now shifting her focus to building a team that will be able to compete and progress further at the Olympics in France.
“Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honour, 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.
Hayes is counting on the sendoff matches to fine-tune her lasses before settling at the Olympic Games.
“Choosing an 18-player roster plus alternates involved many considerations, but I am excited for the group we have selected, and I’m looking forward to building on the work from last camp as we head into the Send-Off matches and then onto France. These are great opportunities for us to continue to show the progress we are making,” she added.
Meanwhile, Morgan said she was disappointed to miss out on the final Olympic Games squad.
“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 her social media accounts. “In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country.”
USWNT is in Group B alongside Germany, Zambia, and Australia. The Stars and Stripes will open their campaign against the Copper Queens on July 25, 2024.
