U.S. women’s national team soccer star Alex Morgan is expecting a baby girl but she still plans to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics, she told USA Today.
Morgan is expected to give birth in April, which is four months before the Olympics begin. The Opening Ceremonies for the Tokyo Games will be on July 24.
“I hope to get back on the field as soon as possible,’’ Morgan told USA Today. “After having a healthy baby, I want to get back with the national team and look forward to playing in Tokyo.’’
Morgan said her first baby will not derail her soccer career, though.
“There are so many women that have been able to come back to their respective sport after pregnancy and continue to have a successful family while playing their sport that they love at the highest level,’’ she said. “I plan to follow in those footsteps and be one of those women who have a family and carry my daughter around as I’m going to the next city to play. And I still want to continue to enjoy the sport that I’ve been playing for all my life.’’
Morgan announced two weeks ago that she was pregnant with her first child in an Instagram post. The photo showed her and her husband Servando Carrasco announcing the pregnancy.
“We are already in love and we haven’t even met her yet. Newest member of the Carrasco family, coming soon,” she wrote in the caption.
“The pregnancy presumably rules Morgan out of Olympic qualifying for the U.S., as well as the early portion of the 2020 National Women’s Soccer League season with the Orlando Pride,” ESPN reported at the time.
Morgan has been on the U.S. women’s soccer team during their 2019 and 2015 World Cup wins. She also won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 with the USWNT.