Why have one captain when you can have two?
The U.S. women’s national team announced Friday that Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan are both captains for the upcoming World Cup.
With Becky Sauerbrunn left off the roster due to injury, the two veterans will lead the USWNT’s push to lift an unprecedented third straight World Cup trophy.
Per a U.S. Soccer press release, Horan will wear the armband when both players are on the field (which figures to be most of the tournament).
“We have a lot of leaders on this team among the young players and the veteran players, and among those, Lindsey and Alex have vast experience in big games, and they understand what it takes to win at the highest levels,” said USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “They are ultimate professionals and understand all the factors that go into having a united and motivated team. I know they will represent us well on and off the field at the World Cup.”
Both players have plenty of experience with the armband. Per U.S. Soccer, Horan has started a match as captain nine times dating back to 2021, while Morgan has been captain 22 times, having first been named captain in 2016. Morgan captained the USWNT in three 2019 World Cup games, including their quarterfinal win against France and a semifinal triumph over England.
Less-experienced USWNT has fewer current captains
A consequence of a less-experienced USWNT for this World Cup is that the squad has fewer players who captain their club teams than in years past.
Of the 23 players Andonovski selected for this tournament, only Morgan (San Diego Wave), Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), and Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) currently serve as captains at the club level. Midfielders Julie Ertz and Andi Sullivan have also spent full NWSL seasons as captain in the past, while Megan Rapinoe’s off-field presence has been lauded by USWNT players over recent years.
Still, with Horan and Morgan both projected starters, the USWNT will probably end up with at least one more player donning the armband during the World Cup. While the scheduling in the 2023 edition is not too condensed — the USWNT’s three group stage games will be played over 10 days — it stands to reason that Andonovski will look to rotate early so that he can play his strongest 11 in the knockout rounds.
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