Alex Morgan announces retirement from professional soccer
San Diego Wave FC captain and star, Alex Morgan celebrates her 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup winning goal. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave FC)
San Diego Wave FC captain, all-time scorer, and United States Women’s National Team legend, Alex Morgan officially announced her retirement in a social media post on Thursday, September 5.
“It has been a long time coming and this decision wasn’t easy, but at the beginning of 2024 I felt in my heart and soul that this was the last season that I would play soccer,” said Morgan. “Soccer has been a part of me for 30 years and it was one of the first things that I ever loved. I gave everything to this sport and what I got in return is more than I could have ever dreamed of.”
Morgan also announced that her final match will take place on Sunday, September 8, against the North Carolina Courage and is pregnant with her second child.
Morgan began her time in San Diego in 2022 as the second player to join the NWSL’s expansion franchise. That season she led the NWSL in goals scored, was among the league's best XI, a finalist for MVP and led the team to the semifinals of playoffs.
In 2023 Morgan led the Wave in scoring with seven goals, and drove them to a NWSL Shield for holding the best record in the league.
In 2024 Morgan began her Wave season by scoring the game-winning goal in the NWSL Challenge Cup against Gotham FC, but has not scored since.
With the USWNT, Morgan won the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cup including a silver boot in 2019. She is ninth in appearances all-time at 223, fifth in goals at 123 and ninth in assists at 53 with the senior USWNT.
The Wave will host a full press conference with Morgan at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 6, at Snapdragon Stadium.
