England’s Esme Morgan on making America home and why she loves the Jacksonville Jaguars

Esme Morgan celebrates England's quarter-final win over Sweden at Euro 2025Euro 2025 with England in July, there was only one person worthy of giving the center-back a congratulatory message on her return to Washington: Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Morgan was welcomed back by her teammates in August with a Jaguars-themed cake, a shirt and a message on her phone from the 2021 No 1 draft pick. It came as such a surprise to the elated defender that she momentarily turned the air blue.

“I hope to see you at Wembley this fall,” says the quarterback, in a heartwarming moment captured on the Spirits’ Instagram page. And he will.

 

Morgan has only attended one Jaguars game so far, which happened to be Lawrence’s first NFL win as he guided Jacksonville to a 23-20 win over the Miami Dolphins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in October 2021.

This weekend, she will play Orlando Pride on Saturday before flying to London to attend her second game, as the Jaguars take on the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. She will then report for England duty on Monday as the Euro 2025 champions take on Brazil and Australia at home this month in international friendlies. “The timing’s worked out perfectly. I’m very excited about it,” Morgan says.

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Her teammates, who include USWNT star Trinity Rodman, know her well. With many living in the same building as her, she says they know not to interrupt her when the real-time highlights show the NFL RedZone is on. But Morgan has experienced more downs than ups as a Jags fan.

The Jaguars have played in London every year since 2013, except for the Covid-affected 2020 season, so it’s no surprise that they have a strong following in the UK. But they haven’t exactly inspired fans — making four play-off appearances since 2000. This season they are second in the AFC South with a promising 4-2 record — already having achieved the same number of victories as through the entirety of last season.

But growing up, Morgan’s dream was not an American one. A Manchester City fan and season ticket holder since the age of three, she fulfilled her childhood ambitions when she made her debut with City’s senior team in 2017 as a 16-year-old.

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