In true No. 13 style, U.S. Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan became the 13th player to reach 200 international caps on Sunday, Nov. 13. The U.S. ended an uncharacteristic three-game losing streak and defeated Germany 2-1 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
Morgan became an icon of the women’s game early on in her career, most notably after scoring against France and Japan during the USWNT’s 2011 Women’s World Cup run. Known for her goal-scoring abilities, she’s often seen in just the right place at the right time during clutch moments.
In honor of her 200th cap, let's relive some of her best goals for the U.S.
5. USWNT vs. New Zealand - September 15, 2017
This fifth choice is a beautiful demonstration of Morgan’s technical abilities and composure in front of goal, which are not always the first qualities that come to mind when thinking about her strengths as a forward. Sofia Huerta whips a ball into the left side of the box that Morgan is able to settle and quickly fake out a New Zealand defender before ripping a left-footed shot past the keeper. Her ball control combined with the angle of the shot is quite hard to pull off, and she does it perfectly.
4. USWNT vs. Australia - April 4, 2019
Morgan couldn’t score her 100th goal without also making it a stunner. In this play, she completely bodies off an Australian defender while pouncing onto a long ball sent over the top by Crystal Dunn. She cuts into the middle before pulling off a powerful shot at the edge of the box that lands in the right side of the net. It’s a lovely example of Morgan’s athleticism and eye for goal.
3. USWNT vs. Japan - 2011 Women's World Cup Final
Morgan’s goal against Japan in the 2011 Women’s World Cup final is what truly sprung her into the spotlight. It’s a classic Alex Morgan goal, where she breaks free from the defensive line and turns what should be a tough angle into an easy one. Her perfectly-placed left foot finish into the far corner is what put the U.S. on the scoreboard first in this game.
2. USWNT vs. Germany - March 9, 2016
This goal by Morgan just has all the good things in it: a talented opponent, a perfectly weighted ball over the top, a bit of trickiness, and a world-class finish. It showcases all of Morgan’s strengths too—beating an opponent with her speed and physicality while also demonstrating a bit of flair. Put this on all the highlight reels!
USWNT vs. Canada - 2012 Olympic Games Semifinal
It’s probably a nearly unanimous opinion that this is Morgan’s best goal, and it’s absolutely iconic for many reasons. For one, it was a United States-Canada rivalry match that also happened to be an Olympic semifinal—I’d argue that this rivalry was much feistier 10 years ago which made the stakes higher. Morgan also scored this header in the 122nd minute, which was during the added time of the second overtime period. That’s about as last-second as you can get. To top this all off, the commentary by Ian Darke is pretty much drilled into the memory of any USWNT fan.
Note: Skip to 17:25 of this video to watch the goal.
It's clear that Morgan's career so far has been nothing short of incredible. The 33-year-old still appears to be thriving, scoring a league-high 16 goals with her NWSL team the San Diego Wave this 2022 season. Look for more world class goals from the striker as soon as two months from now when the USWNT takes on New Zealand, Jan. 17, 2023.
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