Alex Morgan, arguably the most famous active women's soccer player in the world, announced she will retire from soccer after playing one last game with her club the San Diego Wave FC this weekend. The decision comes months after she was left off the U.S. Olympic Women's Soccer Team that headed to Paris for this year's Summer Olympics.
Her decision will likely disappoint soccer fans throughout the country. Whenever her team would enter a stadium, whether it be her club team in San Diego or the U.S. Women's National Team,throngs of fans would greet her with boisterous cheers and chants.
While announcing her retirement, Morgan also said that she is expecting to give birth to a baby.
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The 35-year-old striker in her third season with San Diego Wave FC had been part of the previous three Olympics.
After appearing in her first Women's World Cup at age 21 in 2011, she won World Cup titles with Team USA in 2015 and 2019. Her U.S. squad then shockingly was knocked out in the round of 16 against Sweden in 2023.
"Soccer has been a part of me for 30 years and it was one of the first things that I ever loved and I gave everything to this sport and what I got in return was more than I could have ever dreamed of," Morgan said in her announcement on social media. "Success for me is defined by never giving up and giving your all. And I did just that. I'm giving my all every single day on the field."
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Morgan previously gave birth in 2020 to now 4-year-old Charlie.
"Family means everything," she said. "I wouldn't be here without my husband and my family uplifting and motivating and encouraging and supporting me and sacrificing for me for the last 15 years as a professional athlete. I'm also so grateful that I'll get one last game to put on the boots and this Sunday, September 8th will be that game."
She finishes her career with Team USA ranked fifth among the national team's all-time leading goal-scorers, with 153 tallies.
