“Make Peace” – ‘Heartbroken’ USMNT Legend Landon Donovan Offers Advice to Alex Morgan After Olympic Roster Snub

There is a stark parallel between the careers of Alex Morgan and former USMNT superstar Landon Donovan. Just like Alex Morgan has been left off the USWNT Olympic roster now, Donovan failed to make the USMNT’s 2014 World Cup squad.

Hence, it was easy for the USMNT legend to be in Morgan’s shoes and hope this “horrible moment”—the Olympic snub—wouldn’t affect the rest of her season. He also added in a recent interview that he was “heartbroken” over Emma Hayes’ decision to exclude Morgan from the mix.

During his appearance on the latest Golazo America episode, Landon Donovan was asked to comment on Alex Morgan’s exclusion and how he felt in 2014 after the World Cup snub. “I’m devastated for Alex. Having played through the years parallel as she’s been playing and watching her career, it’s a horrible moment. And I don’t wish it on anybody. I sympathize with Alex and I hope it doesn’t define the rest of her season and that she can make peace with it at some point. Certainly not soon because these things are difficult to deal with, but my heart goes out to her,” said Landon Donovan.

Reacting to the US Olympic roster, Alex Morgan earlier said on her social media that she was “disappointed” at her exclusion. Anyhow, she assured that she would cheer on the US team at the Paris Olympics. This is the first time since 2008, Morgan has sat out of a major tournament. She notably won an Olympic gold and a bronze in her three Olympic stints with the US. Meanwhile, Hayes’ snub of Morgan prompted Donovan to recall how devastating it was when someone else decided his career was over.

Alex Morgan’s snub prompts Donovan to recall his career-ending World Cup exclusion

Leading the USMNT in scoring and assisting, Landon Donovan was American soccer’s central figure during the 2014 World Cup. However, stories have it that he and the then-US coach Jurgen Klinsmann were in a rough patch and that ultimately resulted in his exclusion from the squad. Speaking of the same, Donovan said, “You’re realizing in that moment that your career with the national team is coming to an end, and you didn’t get to decide it, someone else told you it was over,” as compiled by The Athletic. Notably, Donovan called his storied US career quits after that shocking World Cup snub in 2014.

From the looks of it, Alex Morgan is far from parting ways with the USWNT. But Hayes’ summoning of youngsters and exclusion of Morgan, Lynn Williams, and other veterans prove that there is a change of guard in the US team. Only time will tell if Morgan would also retrospect and decide to call it a day. But until then, like Donovan, let’s hope that the Olympic snub won’t affect the rest of Morgan’s career.