'I'll be cheering them on' - Alex Morgan throws support behind USWNT after being left off Emma Hayes' Olympic squad

Alex Morgan was left off of the USWNT's 18-player squad in what was the biggest call new coach Emma Hayes had to make ahead of the Olympics. The squad features five forwards, Crystal Dunn, Trinity Rodman, Jaedyn Shaw, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, leaving no room for Morgan in the squad.

"I want to talk about what an amazing player and human that Alex Morgan has been," Hayes said. "I've only had one opportunity to work with her in the last camp and I saw first-hand not just her qualities but her professionalism, and her record speaks for itself.

"It's not easy making a decision when there's only 16 outfield players and two goalkeepers on a roster of 18... I wanted to go in a different direction, and selected other players."

Morgan has been a regular with the USWNT since making her debut in 2010, earning a total of 224 caps while scoring 123 goals along the way. During that time, she's played at four World Cups and three Olympic tournaments, winning two of the former while earning a Gold and Bronze medal at the latter.

She had initially been excluded in the months following the USWNT's World Cup failure last summer, but had returned in good form with a strong Gold Cup. However, it obviously wasn't enough for her to earn a place in Hayes' squad.

"Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage," Morgan said. "This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest.

"In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG"

The U.S. will face Mexico and Costa Rica in a pair of pre-Olympic friendlies in mid-July before heading off to this summer's tournament in France. Once there, they'll face Zambia, Germany and Australia during the group stage, which kicks off on July 25.