The U.S. women's national team bounced back from its disappointing runner-up finish in the 2011 World Cup by winning the 2015 World Cup. Five days later, the squad was honored with a ticker tape parade through the streets of New York. But the experience was bittersweet for Alex Morgan, who had been battling a knee injury throughout the tournament and would undergo surgery a week after the parade.
Morgan told espnW, "I was held back a little bit, and I didn't reach my personal expectations or goals, even though it was probably one of the best years of my career." She went on, "If I had been healthier throughout the year, consistently, I could have made a bigger impact for my club team and for my country."
Of course, the fact that her team reached the pinnacle of the sport wasn't lost on her. "But at the same time, I don't want to complain because it was a great year," Morgan said, "and a lot of things went my way and went the team's way."
