Alex Morgan is a finalist for The Best FIFA Women’s Player 2019
Leading scorer in Concacaf qualifiers for France 2019
Scored five against Thailand in France and the winner in the semi-final against England
It comes as no surprise to see Alex Morgan figure among the three finalists for The Best FIFA Women’s Player 2019 award, along with USA team-mate Megan Rapinoe. FIFA.com picks out three of Morgan’s best achievements from the year.
Queen of Concacaf
On 17 October 2018, USA defeated Canada 2-0 in the final of the Concacaf Women’s Championship, with Alex Morgan hitting the second late on to consolidate her position as the tournament’s leading scorer with seven goals.
Three days earlier, the Stars and Stripes captain helped herself to a brace in a thumping 6-0 semi-final win over Jamaica, a victory that secured their place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™.
With Morgan spearheading the attack, USA cruised through the competition, chalking up no fewer than 26 goals and conceding none. A few months later, the striker was named Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year for the fourth time in her career.
No mercy
The reigning world champions made quite an entrance at France 2019, recording the biggest-ever win in the history of the competition with a thumping 13-0 defeat of Thailand. Morgan led the way with five goals, equalling the record for the number of goals scored in a match by a single player, set 28 years earlier by her compatriot Michelle Akers.
The USA striker was unsurprisingly named Player of the Match, and one of her five strikes, a cleanly-hit drive into the top corner, featured among the ten contenders for Goal of the Tournament.
Many happy returns
“Birthdays come every year. World Cup comes every 4 YEARS!! It’s aaaaaaall business today,” tweeted Morgan on her 30th birthday, which fell on the day of her side’s semi-final against England.
The striker gave herself the best possible gift, hitting what proved to be her side’s winner on the half-hour mark as the USA ran out 2-1 victors. In the process, she became the first player in the history of the Women’s World Cup to score on their birthday.
That was not all, however. With her tireless running and boundless energy, Morgan drew two fouls from England's Millie Bright, both of which resulted in cautions for the central defender. Reduced to ten, the English were unable to pull level despite their best efforts late on.
After picking up her second Player of the Match award of the tournament, Morgan received the greatest gift of them all five days later, collecting her second Women’s World Cup winner's medal after helping USA to victory over the Netherlands in the Final.