Alex Morgan thinks the U.S. men can go far at the World Cup, but she says the first game will decide whether they spend the tournament chasing or driving it. The retired U.S. star said the team must make its mark early and cannot afford to work its way into the event.
Morgan, who told GOAL she believes the USMNT will make a serious run, said the opener is the most important game for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. She said the Americans need a strong statement in game one because they cannot have to catch up after the tournament begins. That view carries weight because Morgan played in three World Cups, won two of them, and spent enough time in elite events to know how quickly momentum can turn.
“I think the first game is the most important game for them to make their mark,” Morgan said, adding that the team cannot spend the early rounds trying to recover. “They have to make a strong statement in game one.” She pointed to the squad’s depth and said the U.S. has a lot of different options for threats on goal, and she also called the team’s last game against Germany a really good step forward.
Her confidence comes from a career that included three World Cups, three Olympics, 224 caps and 123 goals for the USWNT, along with an Olympic gold medal and a bronze. Now retired, Morgan has shifted into life as an investor in women’s sports, a founder of the media company Togethxr and an ambassador for DraftKings, but she said her view of big-stage soccer still comes from knowing how fast roles can change once a tournament starts. She said she has been both a bench player and a starter in World Cups and that a player can be No. 26 one day and central to the team the next, depending on the opponent and the rhythm of the side.
That is part of what makes her comments useful now, even before the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup begins. No one knows exactly what Pochettino’s first XI will look like against Paraguay, and that uncertainty is part of the test Morgan is talking about. The U.S. may have depth and multiple attacking choices, but those options only matter if they arrive ready from the first whistle.
Morgan, who is based in San Diego with her family, said she plans to take in the team’s games in Los Angeles and will start with Friday’s match. “I’m going to try and make as many games as I can, but we’ll start with LA on Friday,” she said. For a player who has already lived through the pressure of World Cups, the message is simple: the Americans do not need a slow build, they need proof right away.
