Alex Morgan is a "global superstar" and it would be "very silly" if she was left out of the United States Women's World Cup squad, according to former team-mate Carly Telford.

The Stars and Stripes head to Australia and New Zealand in July aiming to land a third successive world title, having triumphed in 2015 and 2019, with 33-year-old Morgan hoping to feature at her fourth finals.

The San Diego Wave forward, who was also part of the side that were beaten by Japan in the 2011 final, will be desperate to be included in Vlatko Andonovski's squad, and add to her impressive tally of 121 goals in 206 caps.

Former England goalkeeper Telford, who was part of the Lionesses' squads that reached consecutive semi-finals in 2015 and 2019, knows Morgan well, having played alongside her in California before announcing her retirement in March.

Telford is adamant Morgan should not miss out on the finals.

"She's huge," Telford told Stats Perform. "Without Alex, I don't think the game would get some of the recognition that it's getting. I think she's a global superstar. 

"She performs on and off the pitch. She's not just a footballer; she stands for quality, diversity, everything that is good about being a good person.

"She'll fight for women's rights to make sure that everyone has equal opportunities. She doesn't have to do that; she could just turn up and play football.

"Spending time with her and being in a team with her for 12 months and realising the work that she does on and off the pitch, she's an absolute ambassador to the game. 

"She speaks so highly, so well about the game. I just hope she does go to the World Cup because she's a superstar, and it would be sad if she didn't. But I think she's playing well enough, it would be very silly to leave her out."

USA have been drawn alongside the Netherlands, Portugal and Vietnam in Group E, and face a potential last-16 encounter against either Sweden or Italy.

And though there is a slight veteran feel to the USA's likely roster, Telford insists their World Cup pedigree means they will take some stopping once again, and feels their character on the big stage is epitomised by Lyon forward Lindsey Horan.

"They're mentally monsters," she added. "Everyone might be like 'They're not as good as they used to be, they're ageing'. 

"But I'll tell you what, when they cross that white line, it doesn't matter who they're playing. They will fight, they will scrap, they will battle, they will try and play good football. But at the end of the day, they're just ultimate winners. 

"I think that when you've got someone like Lindsey on the pitch, she is the ultimate at that. She'll break play up, she'll bite, she'll scrap, she'll tackle, she'll drive everyone around her. 

"I just think when it comes to the Americans, when they get into competition mode; they're just a different breed."

Alexia Putellas has been crowned the Best FIFA Women's Player, denying England's female representatives a clean sweep at Monday's ceremony.

Sarina Wiegman and Mary Earps had earlier been crowned the Best FIFA Women's Coach and the Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper respectively following England's Euro 2022 success on home soil last year.

But Beth Mead, the Euro 2022 Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot winner, missed out to Barcelona and Spain midfielder Putellas.

Putellas, who won the Primera Division with Barcelona in 2021-22 but missed the Euros with an ACL injury, is now a two-time winner of the award after also coming out on top last year.

"If you have a dream and fight for it as hard as you can, you can achieve that dream," Putellas said upon collecting the award. "The most important thing is to enjoy yourself along the way."

San Diego Wave and United States forward Alex Morgan was the other candidate in the running to land the award.

Putellas, Mead and Morgan all appeared in the FIFPro Women's World 11, although Earps missed out to Christiane Endler.

England also had Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson and Keira Walsh in the team.

Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan threw their support behind protesting France stars as the French Football Federation faced growing pressure to act on the players' grievances.

Captain and star defender Wendie Renard was the first to put her international career on hold on Friday, swiftly followed by forwards Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

All three called for regime change, with Renard saying the "current system" was "far from the requirements required by the highest level", and the trio are set to be absent from this year's Women's World Cup unless their demands are met.

In response, the federation (FFF) said its executive committee would look at the matter on Tuesday, adding: "The FFF would like to serve a reminder that no individual is bigger than the team."

Such a response was hardly what the players would have hoped for, but the FFF will not be able to brush this issue under the carpet.

Ada Hegerberg and Lucy Bronze backed the striking players on Friday, and US women's national team luminaries Rapinoe and Morgan have added their voices of support, along with global players' union FIFPRO.

Reacting initially to Renard's statement, Rapinoe wrote: "With you captain. @FFF what are you doing?"

As the protest grew to become a three-player rebellion, Rapinoe posted on Instagram: "Immense respect for these three."

Morgan wrote: "You know it's bad when the most capped player/captain can [no] longer support or play for @FFF. My heart hurts for @wendie_renard, @mariekatoto, @kady944 and all their teammates."

The Women's World Cup takes place between July 20 and August 20 in Australia and New Zealand, so the French authorities have time to remedy this situation.

Renard has spoken of wanting to protect her mental health. Although she did not name head coach Corinne Diacre, who has overseen a controversial reign, reports claimed Renard would refuse to return if Diacre and her staff remain in place.

Renard, a 142-cap veteran, lost the captaincy under Diacre in 2017 but was restored to the leadership in 2021.

FIFPRO said it "stands... in solidarity" with the players and their supportive French union, the UNFP.

"Players should not have to sacrifice their national team careers for change and organisational reform," FIFPRO added, in a short statement posted on Twitter.

The UNFP said the players' stance was an "extremely courageous cry of alarm... denouncing the gap between the current organisation of this team, their expectations and the resources allocated to meet the current requirements of the very high level".

It said the players' outcry "must serve as a catalyst" for institutional change and to speed up the rate of pushing the women's game forward in France.

"It is becoming urgent," said the UNFP, "that all stakeholders finally push in the same direction to accelerate without delay the process under way, which will benefit all, including internationals."

United States women's stars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan launched a vociferous defence of their Canadian counterparts as they protest against their own federation.

Canada's national women's team announced on Saturday they will go on strike in pursuit of equal pay and increased funding from governing body Canada Soccer.

The players lamented an "unacceptable burden" after funding cuts and called for "immediate" change from those above them.

Canada's male players echoed a similar sentiment as they issued their own statement assuring they "wholeheartedly support" the women's protests.

Ahead of the SheBelieves Cup match between the USA and Canada on Friday, Rapinoe criticised Canada Soccer's standpoint as she backed the two-time Olympic champions' plight.

"We're talking about the Olympic champions here," Rapinoe said on Wednesday. "That was so well deserved and such a huge step forward for them.

"To have their federation meet them this way after winning a world championship is just f***ing wild to me. We're with them all the time."

Canada are sixth in FIFA's women's world rankings and viewed among the contenders for this year's Women's World Cup, where they face hosts Australia, the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria in Group B.

The USA women's side are familiar with the battle for equal pay after ending a six-year legal battle last February to secure the same financial terms as the men.

Morgan, a 201-cap international who has scored 120 times, reflected on her country's own protests over equal pay as she joined Rapinoe in backing the Canada women's team.

"Canada is just getting started, and they know the long road ahead for them, because we just went through that," Morgan added.

"I hope it's a shorter road for them, and we'll do anything possible to try and publicise what they're fighting for, and why they should achieve that."

Canada are expected to display some form of protest in the SheBelieves Cup outing, having already worn their kits the wrong way around to hide the federation badge after they returned to training this week.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema have been shortlisted for the FIFA Best Men's Player Award.

Messi led Argentina to glory at last year's World Cup, scoring seven times, including twice in the final, and laying on three assists.

That ended a 36-year wait for a third world title for Argentina, while for many his performances in Qatar cemented Messi as the greatest of all time.

Argentina overcame France on penalties in the showdown at Lusail Stadium on December 18, though it was not for the want of trying from Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw, and like his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Messi also converted his spot-kick in the shoot-out.

Mbappe won the competition's Golden Boot award after netting eight goals, while he set up another two.

Between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022 – the time period on which this year's FIFA Best awards are based – Mbappe scored 58 goals for PSG, the highest figure of any player across Europe's top five leagues.

Third on that list is Real Madrid striker Benzema, who won last year's Ballon d'Or and makes up the final shortlist. He netted 50 times for Los Blancos, helping them win LaLiga and the Champions League, though he suffered an injury on the eve of the World Cup and had to withdraw from France's squad.

FIFA also confirmed the nominations for the Puskas Award for best goal.

Richarlison's stunning effort in Brazil's World Cup opener against Serbia has made the cut, as has an audacious half-volley from Dimitri Payet in Marseille's Europa Conference League clash with PAOK last April.

Marcin Oleksy, meanwhile, scored a sublime overhead kick for Warta Poznan amputee football against Stal Rzeszow, and the Pole joins Richarlison and Payet on the final shortlist.

The Best Women's Player Award will also be handed out at the FIFA ceremony on February 27.

Beth Mead was crucial in England's success at the Women's Euros last year, winning the Golden Boot and being named as Player of the Tournament.

Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas missed the tournament through injury but the Barcelona star makes the list, along with Alex Morgan.

United States forward Alex Morgan says it would be "bizarre" for the Women's World Cup to have a major sponsor from Saudi Arabia.

A possible move to see this year's FIFA tournament in Australia and New Zealand sponsored in part by tourism authority Visit Saudi has been revealed in recent weeks.

The move has generated significant backlash from both host countries, with focus on Saudi Arabia's human rights record, particularly in regard to women and LGBTQ people.

Morgan, a two-time World Cup winner with the USWNT, feels any partnership between the sport's governing body and Saudi Arabia would send a poor message to the tournament's players.

"I think it's bizarre that FIFA has looked to have a Visit Saudi sponsorship for the Women's World Cup," Morgan said.

"I, myself, Alex Morgan, would not even be supported and accepted in that country, so I just don't understand it.

"I think that what Saudi Arabia can do is put efforts into their women’s team that was just formed only a couple of years ago and doesn’t even have a current ranking within the FIFA ranking system because of the few games that they’ve played.

"So that would be my advice to them. And I really hope that FIFA does the right thing. Pretty much everyone has spoken out against [the proposed sponsorship] because morally it just doesn't make sense."

The United States step up their preparation for the World Cup this month with the SheBelieves Cup, as they prepare to face Canada, Brazil and Japan.

They will start their title defence against Vietnam at Auckland's Eden Park on July 22.

Alex Morgan has slammed the National Women's Soccer League for its handling of sexual harassment allegations which have rocked the league.

An independent investigation into the scandal found sexual misconduct was systematic across the league, according to a report released on Monday.

Morgan, a former team-mate of Mana Shim, one of the whistleblowers at the heart of the scandal, has criticised the NWSL and believes the league "failed" Shim, who lodged her complaints against former Portland Thorns coach Paul Riley.

The 198-cap United States star helped to encourage Shim to come forward with her allegations, but the league's lack of effective protocols left her frustrated.

"She went through all the right steps, and she was failed. She was failed by the system," Morgan told ESPN's E:60.

"I had helped Mana do the right thing, which was reporting Paul to the league and hoping that they would take action and hold him accountable. 

"I never had a team-mate experience that and confide in me the way that she did.

"I couldn't find a HR contact; I couldn't find an anonymous hotline; I couldn't even find an anti-harassment policy that might lay out what he was doing that was reportable."

Morgan has also revealed she played an instrumental role in lobbying against Riley becoming the national team's head coach, adding: "I did my part in stopping him from becoming head coach.

"And that was sharing as much information as I could with the people who were in charge of selecting the next head coach.

"The response by U.S. Soccer was no, they had never heard of this misconduct or harassment. Not the report that Mana submitted, not the investigation, and that this was a surprise to them."

Five of the league's coaches were either fired or stepped down amid widespread misconduct allegations last season.

Tributes have poured in across the sporting world for Serena Williams following her apparent US Open swansong on Friday, though the 23-time grand slam winner has kept the door ajar on a shock return.

The American, widely considered one of the greatest sportspeople of all time, suggested she would step away from top-level tennis following the tournament at Flushing Meadows.

Following a 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 loss to Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round, her journey now looks to be over – though the 40-year-old admittted "you never know" when asked about future appearances.

Her likely last dance, however, has prompted an outpouring of glowing tributes from far and wide, with a host of major names paying their respects to an unparalleld career.

15-time major-winning golfer Tiger Woods called her "the greatest on and off the court" while four-time NBA champion LeBron James hailed her as "so dope".

Players of the United States Women's National Team have reached a landmark agreement with governing body U.S. Soccer, ending a long-running legal battle over equal pay for the country's female footballers.

After a six-year legal battle led by the players of the USWNT, who have won the last two editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup, U.S. Soccer has committed to providing an equal rate of pay for it's men's and women's national teams, including World Cup bonuses, subject to agreements with the teams' respective unions.

The agreement will also see the players split a lump sum of $22m, roughly one-third of what they originally sought in damages, and provides for a fund of $2m to support players after their playing careers and to aid charitable initiatives around the women's game.

The governing body and the USWNT players have released a joint statement, which reads as follows.

"We are pleased to announce that, contingent on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement, we will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay and proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer.

"Getting to this day has not been easy. The U.S. Women's National Team players have achieved unprecedented success while working to achieve equal pay for themselves and future athletes.

"Today, we recognise the legacy of the past USWNT leaders who helped make this day possible, as well as all of the women and girls who will follow.

"Together, we dedicate this moment to them.

"We look forward to continuing to work together to grow women's soccer and advance opportunities for young girls and women in the United States and across the globe."

The legal battle had raged since April 2016, and has been fraught with controversy, with former U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro quitting in 2020 after the federation submitted legal papers claiming women were physically inferior to men.

Alex Morgan and her family are fighting back after catching COVID-19 in California over the festive season, the United States women's football superstar has revealed.

The 31-year-old, twice a Women's World Cup winner, left Tottenham last month after a three-month playing spell in England.

Although London has become a coronavirus hot spot, Morgan says she was back in the USA when the virus struck.

She wrote on Twitter: "Unfortunately, my family and I closed out 2020 learning that we had contracted Covid while in California over the holidays.

"We are all in good spirits and recovering well. After our isolation is completed, I will follow US Soccer's return to play guidelines to ensure my body is fully recovered and I can join my team-mates back on the field soon. Be safe and happy new year."

Morgan is married to former LA Galaxy and Orlando City footballer Servando Carrasco, and they celebrated a sixth wedding anniversary on December 31. Their first child was born last May.

The USWNT great signed for Spurs in September, having not played since August 2019 due to pregnancy and the disruption caused by the pandemic.

She made five appearances for Spurs in all competitions, scoring two goals. Morgan is a two-time Women's World Cup winner and has scored 107 goals in 170 appearances for the USA.

Morgan is expected to resume her club career with the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), ahead of playing at the Tokyo Olympics.

Orlando retained the 31-year-old forward's NWSL rights when she made the short-term move to Tottenham.