“I Was Not Mentally 100%” – Alex Morgan Reveals Her Decision to Take ‘Extra Time Off’ Was Met With Disapproval by USWNT Coach Vlatko Andonovski

Ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, USWNT has been receiving the most spotlight among all the participants. The team will be focusing on winning their third consecutive World Cup win. Alex Morgan will definitely play an important role in USWNT’s potential victory.

The striker will lead USWNT as the co-captain and is gearing up for her fourth World Cup. With FIFA Women’s World Cup being right around the corner, Morgan mentioned that she’s at peace and feels more comfortable with what she brings to the table. The USWNT star had recently opened up about how coach Vlatko Andonovski didn’t approve of her taking leave for mental health reasons.

Alex Morgan opens up about coach Vlatko Andonovski

Alex Morgan is an iconic figure in American women’s soccer. However, several players were confused after USWNT appointed Morgan as co-captain.

Morgan shared how she was facing a lot of work stress during the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The USWNT star disclosed that immense pressure from fans affected her mental health.

Back in 2020, Morgan didn’t have a pleasant experience with USWNT because of COVID-19 restrictions. After the Tokyo Olympics, the American soccer idol wanted to back off from joining USWNT in Australia in the fall of 2020. However, the USWNT coach didn’t approve of Morgan’s decision and rejected her request.

Morgan describes explaining her situation to the coach: “I vocalized to coach Vlatko [Andonovski] that I was not mentally 100% in it at the moment, because of the year that I had, and I could benefit from some extra time off.”

She mentions that given USWNT’s Olympics performance, Andonovski wanted to start preparations for the World Cup. Andonovski clearly warned Morgan about her spot on the National team could be in danger. She says, “It was honest, and it was direct. And I think that I appreciated it. But it was difficult.” 

After the call, she turned emotionally towards her husband, Carrasco. “I [didn’t] know my future with the national team,” she said. Coach Andonovski, on the other hand, mentioned he wanted veteran players to “show that they can still contribute and be valuable.”

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Regardless, Morgan managed to clinch her way to the top and will be co-captain of USWNT ahead of FIFA Women’s World Cup. Moreover, she’s less nervous about the upcoming World Cup than the previous one. The USWNT player conveyed that she is at peace and feels quite confident about her role.

The USWNT star’s words on her current role in the team

The two-time World Cup winner is undoubtedly one of the most notable USWNT players. Even with tons of pressure weighing down on her shoulders, Morgan feels quite confident about her World Cup role. Furthermore, she’s feeling less nervous and determined to get the third consecutive win.

She says, “I just feel more at peace when I go to training, or when I show up to Zoom meetings or interviews. I just feel more comfortable with what I bring to the table.” Morgan will play an important role with her leadership skills as USWNT’s co-captain. It’s very possible that the 34-year-old veteran will lead the team to lift the World Cup trophy once again.

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