Controversial USWNT star Korbin Albert named to Emma Hayes' 18-player Olympic roster as Alex Morgan is OFF the team for Paris Games

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The United States women's national team named their 18-player roster for the 2024 Summer Olympic games in Paris - and one controversial name made the cut.

Korbin Albert, the midfielder who has been booed at USWNT games ever since she shared anti-LGBTQ+ social media posts, was one of the players named to the team by coach Emma Hayes.

Albert later apologized for her posts, admitting that they were 'insensitive and hurtful.'

When speaking about her selection, Hayes defended the choice when asked by The Athletic's Meg Linehan.

'There's no denying, there's been a lot of work that's been going on in the background, to work with Korbin,' Hayes said in part of her response.

Controversial USWNT star Korbin Albert was named to the Olympic team roster for Paris

New United States women's team coach Emma Hayes has defended her choice in Albert

'And as I've expressed on a couple of occasions, I think it's really important that everybody in this team understands the importance of not just being tolerant and respectful and understanding, the things that are going to matter to us all that, Korbin has had to learn and as my experiences with her has been someone who's... she's a young person who's understood fully the implications of social media activity and I'm not going to go into that in great detail, because that's between Korbin and I.

'But the conversations we have has been to talk about the importance of what we have to be mindful of and how we're all a part of an environment that's one that appreciates and understands the damage that can do. 

'And she has been a delight to coach. I think she's had a really, really tough time. She's really struggled.'

Hayes continues saying, 'She can hear the noise in the stadium, that's affected her. But I can say firsthand that having spent a limited time with Korbin, that she really is a lovely person and someone who really values the most important things and that she's spending time working on herself, as we all do.

'And I look forward to building on that with her and I want everybody to know that my job is to make sure I keep doing that and I want the fans to really embrace Korbin because I do think she's a tremendous human being.' 

Albert shared posts from a Christian worship space saying being gay or transgender is wrong

The (now-deleted) posts that Albert shared were re-posts of a Christian worship space discussing how being gay and 'feeling transgender' is wrong.

Albert, seen as a rising star within the women's national team,  has posted some similar content on her profile before - including a now-deleted post on her TikTok account from Fourth of July weekend showing her family and saying 'their pronouns are U.S.A.'

She also previously 'liked' a post on Instagram that was revealed via a screencap of a meme that read 'God taking time off performing miracles to make sure Megan Rapinoe sprains her ankle in her final ever game'. 

Rapinoe tore her Achilles tendon in the 2023 NWSL Championship game in just the third minute and watched as her team, OL Reign, lost to Gotham FC on penalty kicks.

Meanwhile, USWNT legend Alex Morgan has been left at home for the Paris Games

Quite possibly the biggest omission from this Olympic roster is two-time World Cup winner Alex Morgan.

Morgan, who has scored two international goals for the USWNT in 2024, is the fifth-highest goal scorer in the history of the women's national team with 123.

In a statement posted to Twitter, Morgan said, 'Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage. 

'This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest. 

'In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG.'

With 224 appearances, Morgan is the most capped player currently playing for the women's national team.