U.S. women’s national team striker Alex Morgan is retiring, she announced in a social media video on Thursday.
Morgan also said she is pregnant and expecting her second child. She said she will play one more game on Sunday when San Diego Wave FC hosts North Carolina Courage.
“I have so much clarity about this decision and I’m so happy to finally be able to tell you,” Morgan said in the video. “It’s been a long time coming and this decision hasn’t been easy, but at the start of 2024, I felt in my heart and soul that this would be the last season I would play football.”
Morgan, 35, is a two-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist who ranks fifth in USWNT history with 123 goals in 224 appearances. She was left off the USWNT’s roster for the 2024 Olympics despite playing for the team in the spring.
Morgan made her debut for the USWNT in 2010. Later that year, she scored a game-winning goal in a FIFA World Cup playoff in Italy to help the U.S. qualify for the 2011 World Cup. She quickly became a regular for the team, forming a partnership with Abby Wambach to help the U.S. finish second at the 2011 World Cup before winning the 2012 Olympic gold medal.
Thank you very muchš«¶ pic.twitter.com/8BkofVOh3s
ā Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) 5 September 2024
“Growing up on this team, it was so much more than just soccer,” Morgan said in a statement from US Soccer. “It was the friendships and unwavering respect and support for one another, the tireless commitment to global investment in women’s sport and the defining moments of success both on and off the field.”
“I am incredibly honored to have been able to loan the crest for more than 15 years. I have learned so much about myself during that time and much of that is thanks to my teammates and our fans. I am incredibly proud of the development of this team and will forever be a fan of the USWNT.”
āMy desire to succeed has always driven me, but what I got in return was more than I could have ever asked or hoped for.ā
Morgan struggled with injuries prior to the 2015 World Cup, but ended up starting for the USWNT as they battled through the tournament, defeating Japan 5-2 in the final. At the 2019 World Cup, she scored six goals (five in a 13-0 win over Thailand), making her the tournament’s most successful player.
In 2023, she participated in her fourth World Cup, starting all four games for the USWNT as they were eliminated in the round of 16 for the first time.
