Dubai: American ‘dream girl’ Alex Morgan can gift herself a belated birthday present by leading the United States to victory over Japan in Sunday’s 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup final at Edmonton, Canada.
Goal-scoring winger Morgan, who turned 26 on Thursday, is a strong personality that the Americans will need to end their wait for a first championship since 1999 when they beat China 5-4 on penalties.
The scorer of 56 international goals in 90 matches, Morgan brings an athletic presence to the squad and provides an injection of energy that the team relies upon in big matches.
Morgan will have the support of Megan Rapinoe and Carlie Lloyd in her quest to find the net early on, while 22-year-old centre-back sensation Julie Johnston will anchor the resistance should the Japanese become to adventurous.
Johnston has had a huge World Cup and is a leading contender to be named player of the tournament, provided she plays another big game against the Japanese.
Victory for the Americans, who celebrated Independence Day on Saturday, will recall the triumph by the Mia Hamm-Brandi Chastain team that sent the nation into raptures with their 1999 triumph.
For the likes of glamour girl Morgan, who could be around to could play in the Rio Olympics and beyond as well as the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, it can open up a world of endorsement deals.
She is already one of her country’s biggest female sports stars and a regular feature on Sports Illustrated’s famous covers.
A California native blessed with drop-dead-gorgeous looks, she reportedly has more than 4.5 million social media followers across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. In addition she has bagged over a dozen corporate sponsors: including Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, EA Sports, Panasonic, Nationwide and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
That puts her way ahead of any America soccer star, male or female, including former Fifa World Player of the Year Mary Abigail Wambach, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard in endorsements, and also ahead of world football stars Lionel Messi of Argentina and David Beckham of England, and only marginally behind Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.
All she needs is a victory today, for her definitive coronation.
