Alex Morgan: Why the USWNT star is key for Team USA's Tokyo 2020 medal hopes

No matter when she hangs up her football boots, Alex Morgan will be forever etched into USWNT folklore.

But for now, the American star has even more history to write with her country, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021.

The 31-year-old has been involved in the U.S. senior national team since 2010, going on to play over 170 times and bagging more than 100 goals.

Morgan will be looking to add even more numbers to her international career next month, when she travels to Tokyo.

Part of the 18-player squad, this will be her third Games, having helped Team USA to a gold medal in 2012.

Despite being one of the most senior players selected, Morgan is still very much at the heart of this side, and will be a critical part of the USWNT's hopes of claiming a fifth Olympic title, and improving on their quarter-final exit from Rio 2016.

Coming up clutch for the U.S.

"[Abby] Wambach... space on the right-hand side for Heather O'Reilly... Morgan in the box, Wambach in the box... here comes the cross.. OH IT'S IN! ALEX MORGAN HAS DONE IT!"

That snippet of commentary defined a generation of USWNT fans, and is still referenced all these years later.

Backs against the wall, the U.S. threw everything they had at Canada in the London 2012 Olympic semi-final, and a last minute winning goal from Morgan set them on their way to becoming the eventual gold medallists of the Games.

It wasn't the first, nor will it be the last time that Morgan has produced for her side in the big moments.

She also scored an equalising goal late on in the game against Sweden at Rio 2016, but the U.S suffered an early exit from the tournament after losing the game on a penalty shootout.

Morgan's high school coach, Kemp Wells, believes the player has always had the capabilities to come up with a big goal in the most important moments - even from the age of 17.

"Some of the goals she scores now, which feature in best goals compilations - I saw one or two she scored at high school which led to that level of ability," he told The Telegraph.

Since coming back from the birth of her child, Morgan has been on fire, including scoring in her comeback game against Argentina.

Taking that form into the Olympics, along with her ability to pull out a goal from seemingly nowhere, is an indication as to why head coach, Vlatko Andonovski, has opted for her as an option to lead their line.

Alex Morgan: The dynamic no.9

Out of the options available, Morgan is perhaps the most dynamic of the USWNT forwards, and therefore offers something different.

Not only is she unpredictable on the ball, she also keeps defenders guessing off it.

Her ability to quietly evade defences, time her runs, and make space for herself, allows her to be a constant option for other attackers to aim for.

"She is such a dynamic player to run in behind and cause teams problems that way," said previous USWNT head coach Jill Ellis.

"She makes things happen [...], there's a desire about how she plays."

With Christen Press arguably the most in-form of the front line in the lead up to the Games, the partnership both she and Morgan build over the course of the tournament could prove to be critical in the way the U.S. attack.

As well as her movement, Morgan is a threat both with the ball at her feet and in the air, making her one of the most rounded forwards on the roster, which their coach highlighted as being key at a tournament where they'll play up to six games in 17 days.

Age and experience on their side

With several players on the USWNT roster in their late 20s or 30s, including the evergreen Carli Lloyd, age and experience is something they have in abundance.

Many of the 18-player squad have played together for many years, and have plenty of experience playing in major tournaments, including back-to-back World Cup titles.

It's a factor that head coach Vlatko Andonovski highlighted when announcing the team, saying, “We have a very experienced roster that has been through adversity at the highest levels... they have shown tremendous flexibility and determination over the past 15 months to get us to where we are today.”

Alex Morgan is very much at the heart of it all, and has been for the last 11 years where the USA squad have experienced the highs and the lows of football together. The U.S. and Morgan will be aiming for another career high with gold at Tokyo in 2021, to right the wrongs of Rio 2016.