Alex Morgan said she plans to be in the stands for the U.S. men’s World Cup matches in Los Angeles and that she expects the USMNT to make a deep run — provided they do exactly what she urged: start fast. “I’m going to try and make as many games as I can,” Morgan said, “but we’ll start with LA on Friday.”
Her backing came with blunt advice. Morgan told reporters she believes the team can go far — “I feel like they’re gonna go far” — but added that a slow opening would force America into a tournament chase it cannot afford. “I think the first game is the most important game for them to make their mark,” she said. “They can’t have to catch up and work their way into the tournament. They have to make a strong statement in game one.”
Those comments carry weight because Morgan is speaking from long experience. She played in three World Cups, winning two, and finished her U.S. Women’s National Team career with 224 caps and 123 goals. She has also been both a starter and a substitute on soccer’s biggest stage — “I’ve been both a bench player and a starter in World Cups, and things can change so quickly,” she said — which she said informs her view about the value of a decisive opener.
Part of Morgan’s optimism is a vote of confidence in the roster at hand. She praised the squad’s options, saying, “I think the men’s team has really good depth, and I think they have a lot of different options for threats on goal,” and called the U.S.’s last outing against Germany “a good step forward.” Her endorsement arrives as the team prepares to carry expectations at home, a spotlight she intends to share in person.
Morgan’s profile now extends beyond her playing record. Retired from international play, she remains involved in the game as an investor in women’s sports, a founder of Togethxr and a DraftKings ambassador — a role she referenced when noting corporate support for female athletes: “I am an ambassador of DraftKings, and it’s great to see them also investing in female athletes for such a major event like this.” She also described her life off the pitch; she is a full-time soccer mom, balancing public events with family responsibilities while choosing to attend matches that matter to her.
The note of confidence sits against the real pressure on the USMNT to avoid slow starts. Coach Mauricio Pochettino has emphasized squad management in the days before the opener, calling Chris Richards available for selection — “Chris Richards is available to be selected” — and noting the staff’s work getting players ready: “Our medical staff and performance worked really hard on his recovery. It's a really good feeling to have 26 players available to be selected.” Those remarks underline that while depth exists, choices about who starts will matter even more when Morgan says the first game must set the tone.
Her presence on Friday in Los Angeles turns a celebrity endorsement into a live test. If the USMNT produces the kind of emphatic kickoff Morgan is demanding, her prediction will gain instant credibility; if they fail to make that early statement, the deeper run she foresees will look a lot harder. The roster, the coach’s selections and the result in Los Angeles will make clear whether Morgan’s confidence was prescient or premature.
