Alex Morgan: U.S. Women’s Soccer Forward Stands on Verge of Superstardom at London Olympics

On Wednesday, 23-year-old Alex Morgan continued her surge to superstardom as she led the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team to a 4-2 victory over France in their opening game at the Olympics. Morgan scored two key goals in the opening game and will continue to be a key player on what looks to be a dominant U.S. team.

The forward entered a new stratosphere of celebrity in 2011 after she came off the bench in her first World Cup and scored a game-clinching goal in a semifinal win against France. Morgan became a star on the field having now scored 29 goals in just 43 international appearances. Her form has continued to blossom this year as she leads the team in goals with 19.

Morgan is now soccer sensation, but she did not specialize in the sport in her youth like most elite athletes. Instead, she played softball, basketball and volleyball, according to USA Today. While she didn't play soccer for a club team until she was 14, once there, she impressed coaches and players alike.

The Diamond Bar, Calif., native called into a few U.S. Under 17 camps, but after a knee injury she didn't return to the national team scene for several years. In the meantime, she was recruited to play college soccer for the University of California, Berkeley.

There, she became a standout athlete, leading the team in goals during her time with the Golden Bears. Morgan is the third on the all-time scoring list for the Golden Bears with 45 goals.

Morgan was named to the U-20 women's national team in 2008, and developed into an impressive forward for the U.S. team. In her World Cup debut in 2011, she was the youngest player on the roster, and became a breakout star.

Following her World Cup debut, Morgan posed for Sports Illustrated, made the Maxim's Hot 100 list and became a social media sensation. While Morgan's popularity surged in the last year, the starting forward appears to be focused and ready to bring home gold for Team USA in London. The U.S. team will face off against Colombia on Saturday.