Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan named USWNT captains for World Cup
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With Becky Sauerbrunn sidelined, U.S. women’s national soccer team Coach Vlatko Andonovski announced Friday that Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan will captain the World Cup squad this summer in Australia and New Zealand. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight “We have a lot of leaders on this team among the young players and the veteran players, and among those, Lindsey and Alex have vast experience in big games, and they understand what it takes to win at the highest levels,” Andonovski said in a statement. “They are ultimate professionals and understand all the factors that go into having a united and motivated team. I know they will represent us well on and off the field at the World Cup.”
When Horan and Morgan are on the field at the same time, Horan will wear the captain’s armband, the U.S. Soccer Federation said.
Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd were captains of the 2019 World Cup squad under former coach Jill Ellis. When more than one of them was in the match, the player with the most international appearances wore the armband.
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Sauerbrunn was the lone captain since January 2021, but when a foot injury ruled her out of this summer’s tournament, Andonovski needed to pivot. He informed the players of his decision early last week when training camp opened in greater Los Angeles. He made it public ahead of the U.S. team’s send-off match Sunday afternoon against Wales in San Jose.
Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Crystal Dunn made the 2023 USWNT roster. The U.S. women's soccer team is attempting to win its third consecutive World Cup. (Video: Joshua Carroll/The Washington Post)
The Americans, who will open World Cup group play July 22 (July 21 Eastern time) against Vietnam in Auckland, New Zealand, are seeking to become the first men’s or women’s team to win three consecutive global titles.
Morgan, 34, has captained the team 22 times during her 13-year, 206-game career. She is entering her fourth World Cup. Horan, 29, has worn the armband nine times over 128 games. She made her World Cup debut four years ago in France.
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Andonovski had no shortage of candidates. Nine players have been members of at least two World Cup squads. Aside from Morgan and Horan, Rapinoe, 38, has been part of the program since 2006 and an outspoken figure in both on-field efforts and off-field endeavors, such as the equal pay fight with the USSF.
Last week, Andonovski said Rapinoe: “has been amazing for the young players, amazing for the team and amazing for the staff as well. … She will have a role of a leader and leading the leaders, as well.”
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Source: The Washington Post
