Why Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan have been named USWNT captains ahead of Women's World Cup

• Horan and Morgan named USWNT captains
• U.S. without Sauerbrunn for World Cup
• Friendly against Wales set for Sunday

WHAT HAPPENED? Horan will serve as the team's primary captain and will wear the armband when both she and Morgan are on the field at the same time. The USWNT will be heading into the World Cup without their usual captain, Becky Sauerbrunn, who will be missing out due to injury. In total, 18 players have been officially recognized as captain across the USNWT's 38-year history.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Horan has skippered the U.S. nine times, with five of those occasions coming in 2022. She most recently captained the U.S. during a 1-0 win over Japan during the SheBelieves Cup. Morgan, meanwhile, has worn the armband on 22 occasions, with her first earning the chance to do so back in 2016.

WHAT THEY SAID? Explaining the decision to hand the pair the captaincy, head coach Vlatko Andonovski said: “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. 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.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR THE USWNT? The U.S. will continue their preparations for the World Cup on Sunday when they face Wales in their final pre-tournament friendly.