New York, September 6 (HS). Two-time Women's World Cup champion Alex Morgan has announced that she is pregnant with her second child and is retiring from professional football. During a 15-year career with the United States, Morgan not only made an impact on the field, but she also helped lead the team's fight for equal pay and was vocal about social justice issues.
Morgan, 35, will play her final game with her club team, the San Diego Wave of the National Women's Soccer League, on Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium.
In addition to World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, Morgan also won a gold medal with the United States at the 2012 London Olympics. She first joined the national team in 2009.
During his career with the US team, he played 224 matches, the ninth most of all time, scoring 123 goals (fifth all time) and 53 assists (ninth all time).
“I grew up on this team, it’s about so much more than soccer. It’s about friendship and the unwavering respect and support between one another, the relentless pursuit of global investment in women’s sports, and the milestone moments of success both on and off the field,” Morgan said in a statement. “I am incredibly honored to have held this position for over 15 years. I have learned so much about myself in that time and I owe that to my teammates and our fans. I am so proud of the direction this team is taking and I will always be a fan of the US Women’s team.”
Morgan was twice named US Soccer Player of the Year. Her last match with the United States was against South Korea on June 4, 2024. She was not on the list of players who won gold medals at the Paris Olympics. Morgan was among the players who sued US Soccer for gender discrimination in 2019, citing unequal pay and treatment compared to the men's national team. In 2022, both sides agreed to collective bargaining agreements under which both teams would be paid equally.
Morgan has a daughter, Charlie, who was born in 2020.