Who is Jordan Morris? 7 things you need to know about emerging USMNT, Seattle Sounders prospect

MLSsoccer staff

For a player who announced himself on such a big stage, we know remarkably little about Jordan Morris, the 20-year-old Stanford striker who scored the game-winner for the US in their friendly victory over archrival Mexico on Wednesday night.

Just who is Jordan Morris? Here are seven things you need to know about the USMNT’s hottest prospect:

When he was called to his first national-team camp ahead of a US friendly in the Czech Republic last fall, Morris became the first active college player to play with the full national team in 20 years. How did he catch Jurgen Klinsmann’s eye? By showing well in a scrimmage against the US during their pre-World Cup camp, which was held at Stanford’s campus.

Who is Jordan Morris? 7 things you need to know about emerging USMNT, Seattle Sounders prospect -

A Seattle Sounders academy product, much has been made of Morris’s decision to turn down a Homegrown Player contract offer from the club this winter. The main reason Morris put his pro career on hold? A chance to further his
Stanford education
.

Morris’s ties to the Sounders run deeper than his stint in the club’s academy. His dad, Dr. Michael Morris, has served as the Sounders’ medical director and orthopedic surgeon since their inaugural MLS season in 2009.

Like another famous athlete with connections to Seattle, Morris always brings a bag of candy to his games. Unlike the Seahawks’ Marshawn Lynch – who’s been known to celebrate touchdowns by eating Skittles – Morris has a medical reason for his gummy bear stash. The Stanford forward was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was nine, and he keeps the candy on the bench in case his blood sugar dips during a match.

You may have noticed during Wednesday’s match that Morris has a tattoo on his right forearm. Thankfully, his ink isn’t frivolous. The tattoo – a medical symbol with “T1D” written over it – serves a necessary purpose, identifying Morris as a diabetic in case of medical emergency.

While many have theorized that Klinsmann keeps selecting Morris in part to steer him toward a European career, Sounders fans can breathe easy; the striker has made it plenty clear that he wants to begin his
professional days in Seattle
: "Right now, I am definitely going to Seattle,” he told the
Stanford Daily
.

Having scored the game-winner against Mexico, Morris was naturally in the running for the official Man of the Match award for Wednesday’s friendly. Unfortunately for him, the honor was sponsored by Budweiser, with the beer company’s involvement disqualifying the 20-year-old, who is still a few months shy of the legal drinking age.

Last college player to score for #USMNT? Looks to be @DanteWashington (Radford) with goals in back-to-back games in 1991 vs. MEX and CAN.
— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) April 16, 2015

.@socceroverthere Glad I said "looks like" because Bora favorite Mike Sorber, who scored in Sept. 1992, at start of sr. season at SLU.
— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) April 16, 2015