Team USA's Alex Morgan Has A World Class Debut

Think Alex Morgan’s hometown of Diamond Bar was all a-twitter when she scored her first goal of the Women’s World Cup Wednesday?

Now, they’re sharing her with the world.

Morgan has nearly 50,000 family members, friends and fans following her on Twitter, and the social media messages range from praising her stunning soccer skills to, ahem, marriage proposals.

The youngest member of Team USA, Morgan, 22, scored the third goal of the game against France in the World Cup semifinals. Sprinting past four defenders, Morgan knocked in her first goal from close range in the 82nd minute, putting the game away for the U.S.

Team USA will face Japan in Sunday’s World Cup Final in Germany.

And the combination of her athletic speed and skill with wholesome good looks, Morgan could likely be one of the big winners as far as endorsements after the World Cup. She already has an upcoming article in Seventeen magazine, an official at her former high school said.

Morgan posted this tweet after Team USA’s victory Wednesday:

From alexmorgan13: so excited I got my first world cup goal, but even more that we are freaking in the WORLD CUP FINAL!

Here’s just a sampling of the tweets Morgan received back:

From snowbunnisarah: @alexmorgan13  you make me proud to have grown up playing soccer in diamond bar!!! Congrats!!!! World cup!!!!

From djandrewkirk3: @alexmorgan13 hey alex I actually stayed in a hotel in Diamond Bar last year nice little town keep making the country proud

From twosons1: @KyHagan After watching the game, I changed my mind. I would rather marry alex morgan

From Chanthaaa: @alexmorgan13 never knew there was such hotties in Diamond Bar! :P

From LuisaEsc: Diamond Bar California!! Haha I've got some good childhood memories about @alexmorgan13 's hometown!#ReppinCaliInTheWWC

From AYSO to Team USA, the alphabet soup of soccer means little to Morgan’s mom, Pam. All she knows is that her daughter was always something special.

“Alex deserves this – she has put her all into everything she does,” Morgan’s mom, Pam said. “Since her first Diamond Bar AYSO soccer game at 5 years old, she has always just given her best every time she steps on the field. Sports, school, friendships, and family have been instrumental in shaping her life. She took the ball and ran with it. She's a great daughter – a real joy.”

Morgan’s role has primarily been the first substitute in when the US team needs a lift and some extra speed downfield.

“She was a tremendous talent with a great combination of speed and skill,” said Kemp Wells, who coached Morgan her junior and senior year at Diamond Bar High. “Alex was a fantastic captain and she made a conscious effort to put the team's success before her individual success.”

“She has been doing a tremendous job in the minutes she’s given with Team USA.”

The youngest of three girls, Alex, 22, was protected by her parents and sisters. It was a combination of giving her a high school social life while not burning her out on the sport which she would later make her mark.

“All of us were athletic – we played softball first then volleyball, and soccer but Alex loved soccer the most,” Jennifer said. “My dad wanted all of us to play softball but once Alex started to be recruited by club teams by the age of 11, we knew she was special.”

Determined to let her have a childhood, her dad didn’t want to enter the club team circuit right away. Morgan played volleyball, soccer and ran track at Diamond Bar, but when forced to choose, she picked soccer. Jennifer said her dad would always say, “She’s a world-class athlete.”

Her sisters took Alex under their wing when she was in high school. Jennifer said they took her to parties and let her experience being a high school student.

“Her sister and I are so proud of her. She’s just so modest,” Jennifer said.

While in high school, Morgan was selected to play in the Olympic Developmental Program, where she gained a lot of exposure. 

But in her senior year, she tore her ACL and was told she would need 9-12 months to recover. Jennifer said Alex fought back and returned in six months.

While on scholarship at the University of California, Morgan rushed through her final year to graduate a semester early so she could take off with the US National Team.

After the World Cup, Morgan will return to the Western New York Flash of the Women’s Professional Soccer League. She was selected first overall in this year’s draft.