Alex Morgan, one of the most recognizable figures in women’s soccer and a standout goal scorer on the international stage, has announced her retirement from professional soccer. The 35-year-old forward, who currently plays for the NWSL’s San Diego Wave, shared the news on Thursday via an emotional video posted on her social media platforms.
In the heartfelt video, which runs over four minutes, Morgan revealed that her final game would be this weekend against the North Carolina Courage. Adding to the personal nature of the announcement, Morgan also disclosed that she is expecting her second child.
“Soccer has been a part of me for 30 years. It was one of the first things that I ever loved. And I gave everything to this sport. What I got in return was more than I could have ever dreamed of,” Morgan expressed in the video.
Morgan’s legacy is firmly cemented in the annals of the sport, particularly for her role with the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT), where she became a two-time World Cup champion and earned an Olympic gold medal in 2012.
“We’re changing lives, and the impact we have on the next generation is irreversible. I’m proud of the role I played in pushing the game forward and leaving it in a place that I’m so happy and proud of,” she said, reflecting on her journey.
Throughout her illustrious career, Morgan found the back of the net 123 times for the USWNT, securing her place as the fifth-highest scorer in the team’s history.
Morgan also shared a touching personal moment involving her daughter, Charlie, who recently told her mother that she wants to be a soccer player when she grows up. Morgan said, “Charlie came up to me the other day and said that when she grows up, she wants to be a soccer player, and it just made me immensely proud—not because I wish for her to become a soccer player when she grows up, but because a pathway exists that even a four-year-old can see now.”
