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Special honor for America's world-class elite athlete
FOX 5 NY's Tina Cervasio has the story.
"Wow it’s so big!" exclaimed U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Star Striker, Alex Morgan as she watched the gigantic red drape pull away to reveal a massive statue of herself.
The handmade statue is based on a 3D image of Morgan from 2019.
The statue stands 20 feet tall on top of a pedestal, and weights approximately 825 pounds.
The details are human-like mimicking Morgan's exact shape, features and facial expression.
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"I can’t believe how realistic it is," Morgan kept reacting to the surprise presented to her by FOX Sports Emmy Award-winning National Sports Reporter, Tom Rinaldi.
Just after the Women’s World Cup Media Day events, being held at Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson, California … FOX 5 New York was on location for the surprise.
Ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, FOX Sports created this towering statue in the image of Morgan - a two-time World Cup Champion, to look like the Statue of Liberty, but with Morgan holding the World Cup Trophy instead of the torch and draped in an American Flag.
Alex Morgan enjoys her promotional statue during the USWNT World Cup Media Day at Dignity Health Sports Park on June 27, 2023 in Carson, CA. (Photo by Robert Mora/USSF/Getty Images for USSF).
The statue is called 'Liberty Alex.'
Morgan said the gift from FOX Sports was wonderful for women’s soccer fans, USWNT fans, and her family that will be with her in Australia and New Zealand and those Americans who are also traveling to the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
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She hopes that when people see the statue it will inspire them to watch the games on FOX, and also know that it’s not just her, but it represents the entire National Team that is going to Australia on business … to win the World Cup … for the third straight time.
Morgan says she loves that the statue is holding the World Cup trophy, "because I want to hold it again, in late August."
Robert Gottlieb, President of Marketing for FOX Sports said Morgan was the natural choice because she is an American Icon, she is a captain, and she represents women playing sports and excelling at whatever they do at the highest level.
Liberty Alex world tour
The statue will be going on a tour around the U.S. starting July 2 at the Men’s National Team Gold Cup match in North Carolina.
On July 11 it will be at the MLB All-Star game in Seattle.
From July 16 through July 26 the statue will be in New York City, at FOX Square on 6th Avenue.
But after the World Cup, it will need to find a home.
When asked where the statue might go after the World Cup, Morgan said, "Definitely not at my house, would you like to take it for your house?" Morgan offered me. "Unfortunately, my backyard’s just not big enough, but we can find a place somewhere in New York," I responded. , "…That would be nice," Morgan replied.
Morgan and the U.S. Women’s National Team kick off their defense of the Women’s World Cup in search of a three-peat Championship, on July 21 against Vietnam in their first match of the group stage.