This Wednesday, June 21, the USWNT announced its roster for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, to be held from July 20 to August 20 in  Australia and New Zealand. Alex Morgan and Naomi Girma from the San Diego Wave made the roster as expected, while Taylor Kornieck was left off of the squad.

Alex Morgan will be participating in her fourth World Cup, and she has already been part of two World Cup winning teams in 2015 and 2019. Morgan has scored nine goals in World Cups and has also provided four assists, making her fourth on the all-time goalscorers for the USWNT in World Cup competitions, behind Carli Lloyd (10), Michelle Atkers (12), and Abby Wambach (14). The San Dimas, Calif. native has an incredible opportunity to make history at this World Cup and even possibly become the top scorer for the USWNT at the global competition.

In the 2019 World Cup, Morgan was the joint-top scorer of the tournament with teammate Megan Rapinoe and England’s Ellen White, as they all scored six goals. Both Rapinoe and Morgan also provided three assists in 2019, as both veterans will be key components of this 2023 squad.

Alex Morgan talked about her role on this USWNT team for the 2023 World Cup. Morgan said, “Definitely, my leadership on this team has changed, based on my experience and my comfortability within the environment in the big moments like this World Cup coming up. I’m just hoping to make the biggest impact for this team on and off the field.”

“Definitely my leadership on this team has changed, based on my experience and comfortability within the environment in the big moments like this World Cup. I’m just hoping to make the biggest impact for this team off and on the field.”

Alex Morgan on her role with the USWNT pic.twitter.com/hUzsWDb5qj

— Francisco Velasco (@FranciscoEfV) June 22, 2023

“It’s always a special moment to hear a coach say that you made a roster for a major tournament. To be going to my fourth World Cup, I’m just as excited and anxious as my first one, so I’m really looking forward to it”, said Morgan

Naomi Girma also talked about the call-up and expressed what it feels to be on this specific roster. “This being one of the most diverse and youngest teams, to be on that is an honor for me. I’m really proud that we’re going and we’re representing the U.S. I think we are an accurate representation of the U.S. To have a team out there on the field that looks like a lot of people, that a lot of people can relate to, I think, is going to be really powerful and is going to give us that extra oomph to win.”

Girma will be playing in her first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup and expressed great excitement when talking about the call from Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski, despite being basically a lock. Girma has had an excellent season with the San Diego Wave, following up from her Rookie of the Year campaign.

One sour note from this roster for the San Diego Wave was the absence of Taylor Kornieck, who was on the USWNT radar, scoring two goals in friendly games. Kornieck suffered a significant injury with the Wave this season that kept her out of action for a month and almost certainly hurt her chances of making this World Cup roster. Kornieck is only 24 years old and offers a massive physical presence that is uncommon across women’s soccer, as she will certainly get more opportunities to represent the USWNT in the near future.

Francisco Velasco

Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.