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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 06: Alex Morgan of USA celebrates victory during the Women’s Football Semi Final match between Canada and USA, on Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Old Trafford on August 6, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 06: Alex Morgan of USA celebrates victory during the Women’s Football Semi Final match between Canada and USA, on Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Old Trafford on August 6, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The USWNT is ready to overcome the ghosts of Rio by winning the Olympic Gold in Tokyo. The world cup winning soccer team crashed out in Brazil after a shocking loss to Sweden and aims to overcome such challenges with the capable attacking lineup including Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press, Tobin Heath, and Alex Morgan.
Morgan herself had a stroke of luck through this pandemic. While many consider the shifting of the Tokyo Olympics from last year to this one, it all worked out in the American forward’s favor. The reason for this is because if the Olympics were held last year, she would not be a part of it.
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 06: Carmelina Moscato of Canada battles with Alex Morgan of USA during the Women’s Football Semi Final match between Canada and USA, on Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Old Trafford on August 6, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Alex Morgan was pregnant last year and gave birth to a baby daughter. This kept her out of action and she returned to training only earlier this year. With the entire Tokyo Olympics being postponed by a year, Morgan found herself back in the team preparing for the Olympic Gold.
“Given the circumstances, it was just an extra opportunity for me to get my body fully recovered [from pregnancy and giving birth], spend a lot of great time with my daughter, and be able to take my time coming back to the field,” Morgan said, speaking to FIFA.com
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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Alex Morgan of the USA celebrates after the USA defeaded Japan at the Women’s Football Final match between the USA and Japan on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wembley Stadium on August 9, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Robert Cianflone – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Alex Morgan saw the pandemic as a blessing in disguise
Alex Morgan is certainly a key player for the USWNT and constantly features on the score sheet along with teammates Megan Rapinoe and Christen Press. Her time in lockdown took another turn when her entire family tested positive for COVID-19.
“It was a scary time of course, and every week during the spring and summer last year there seemed to be something new as the pandemic developed,” she said. “But it was definitely a relief to me to know that I could spend a bit of time at home with my husband and daughter at a time when everybody had been forced away from the soccer field and that I’d have time to get myself fit and ready for Tokyo.”
The USWNT has already touched down in Tokyo and has begun training. The team’s first opponents will be Sweden itself, the very country that ousted them from the Rio Games in 2016. This could be redemption time, now the team is stronger than ever.
The players look to add on the World Cup glory with the Olympic gold medal and may go all the way this time.
