Alex Morgan, who for years has been a centerpiece of U.S. women’s soccer excellence and is one of the program’s greatest scorers, was left off the Olympic roster Wednesday by new coach Emma Hayes.

The seismic decision comes amid a generational shift for the program following the retirements of Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz last fall and an influx of young players the past year.

Morgan, who will turn 35 on July 2, is fifth on the U.S. career scoring list with 123 goals in 224 appearances and was a member of two World Cup and one Olympic championships. She co-captained the 2023 World Cup squad in New Zealand and Australia.

But her production has fallen significantly in recent years and, with only 16 non-goalkeepers permitted at the Olympics, Hayes opted for players in better form and offering greater positional versatility. Morgan was not among the four roster alternates, either.

Hayes is scheduled to address her roster decisions during a video call with reporters later Wednesday.

In a statement accompanying the roster announcement, she said: “Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honor and there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process among the players and that there were difficult choices. … Choosing an 18-player roster plus alternates involved many considerations, but I am excited for the group we have selected and I’m looking forward to building on the work from last camp as we head into the send-off matches and then onto France.”

Hayes’s forward selections were Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Jaedyn Shaw, whose average age is 21.3; Mallory Swanson, 26, who is performing at a high level again after missing the World Cup last year with a knee injury; and Crystal Dunn, 31, the team’s longtime left back whose roots are in attacking soccer.

Contributing to Hayes’s decision is Morgan being solely a striker. Smith and Rodman are wings who can play in the middle. Additionally, Catarina Macario, who is listed as a midfielder, is also experienced at striker. Lynn Williams, a winger, is the frontline alternate.

The first sign Morgan might not be in Hayes’s long-term plans came in February when she was left off the Concacaf W Gold Cup roster. She was added to the squad, though, after striker Mia Fishel tore an ACL in training camp.

Hayes was hired by the U.S. Soccer Federation late last year to revamp a program that has remained among the best in the world but has seen countries such as world champion Spain and European champion England gain ground.

At No. 5, the U.S. team is at its lowest place in the FIFA rankings in program history. It has not played for Olympic gold since 2012, when they defeated Japan at Wembley Stadium in London. Since then, they have lost to Sweden in the 2016 quarterfinals and Canada in the 2021 semifinals.

The World Cup round-of-16 defeat to Sweden last year marked the program’s worst performance at a major tournament in its storied history.

The London-born Hayes did not take the U.S. reins until completing her 12-year tenure at English club Chelsea FC last month. During that six-month gap, however, she collaborated closely with interim coach Twila Kilgore on roster selections and tactical approaches.

In Hayes’s first training camp this month, Morgan was named to the roster for two friendlies against South Korea. She did not play in the first match because of an injury concern, then started and logged 62 minutes in the second game.

Since 2022, Morgan has scored eight goals in 35 international appearances. She went scoreless in four World Cup starts last year. In the National Women’s Soccer League this season, she has not scored in eight matches with the San Diego Wave.

Several veterans who remain central to the U.S. cause made the Olympic roster, including Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan and Alyssa Naeher. Seven others from the 2023 World Cup squad were also retained.

Shaw, defender Jenna Nighswonger, 23, and midfielders Korbin Albert, 20, and Sam Coffey, 25, will enter their first major world tournament.

Aside from Rodman, the Washington Spirit will also be represented by defender Casey Krueger, who was on the 2021 Olympic squad. Spirit rookie midfielders Hal Hershfelt, 21, and Croix Bethune, 23, are among the alternates, joining Williams and goalkeeper Jane Campbell. (Alternates will travel and train with the full squad in France.)

The U.S. team will play tuneups against Mexico on July 13 in Harrison, N.J., and Costa Rica on July 16 at Washington’s Audi Field. Olympic Group B play will begin July 25 against Zambia in Nice, France, followed by matches in Marseille against Germany on July 28 and Australia on July 31.

Two teams from each of the three groups, as well as two third-place finishers, will advance to the quarterfinals. The gold medal will be decided Aug. 10 at Parc des Princes in Paris.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

U.S. Olympic roster

Goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage).

Defenders: Tierna Davidson (Chicago), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC).

Midfielders: Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Catarina Macario (Chelsea).

Forwards: Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego), Sophia Smith (Portland), Mallory Swanson (Chicago).

Alternates: GK Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), MF Hal Hershfelt (Washington), MF Croix Bethune (Washington), F Lynn Williams (Gotham).