Morgan preparing to resume team training
Orlando Pride star Alex Morgan is preparing to return to the pitch for the first time since giving birth to her daughter, Charlie, in May.
Morgan returned to Orlando to reunite with her team on Saturday, driving from Fort Lauderdale, where her husband, former Orlando City midfielder Servando Carrasco, plays for Fort Lauderdale CF in the USL League One.
Morgan did not return to team training on Monday and she won’t factor into the Pride’s first match of the NWSL Fall Series on Saturday. But her expected return offers excitement for the Pride as the team prepares to slowly reintegrate her into the lineup for the first time since the 2019 FIFA World Cup.
It’s been more than a year since Morgan played a professional match. Her last appearance for the Pride took place on Aug. 21, but the striker played only six minutes before a midair collision forced her to leave the match due to concussion protocol.
Several weeks later, the Pride announced Morgan was shut down for the season due to a nagging knee injury she suffered during the World Cup. In later interviews, Morgan said she had just learned that she was pregnant, but she didn’t share the news with family, friends or coaches for several more months.
Morgan and Carrasco officially announced they were expecting a baby girl in October, and Charlie was born on May 7.
Morgan initially stated she hoped to return from pregnancy in time for the Tokyo Olympics, which were initially slated to start on July 23, less than two full months after her daughter was born.
The striker is now the second parent on the Pride roster. Teammate Sydney Leroux returned to the pitch in a competitive match for the Pride three months after the birth of her daughter, Roux. Leroux also has a son, Cassius.