Alex Morgan may be off the field, but she has no plans to step away from the game.
On a Manhattan night in late September, she sat shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow U.S. Women’s National Team legend Ali Krieger during the EA Sports FC 25 launch party, this time competing together on screen instead of on the field. Ta. She believes the match raised the profile of women’s football, a mission that will be central to her post-retirement plans.
“I think EA Sports FC is another validation tool for people to access the women’s team and get to know the players,” Morgan said. “Even five years ago, it was almost impossible to televise games and follow teams here in the U.S., let alone in other leagues around the world. It’s great to be able to get to know so many players and keep up to date with them as easily as the men’s team, so I’m all for that.”
Even without shoes, Morgan hasn’t slowed down, even as she approaches the birth of her second child.
“We have a lot in the works,” Morgan said. “Aside from growing our family, I have a growing foundation in my media company, TOGETTHXR, and am making various investments with my husband to get a little more into VC, which I hope to share soon.” Masu.”
Whatever happens next for the award-winning striker, her influence on the game she loves will be long-lasting. Morgan can truly say things that many can only hope to say. She finished the game in better shape than she started.
I can never say goodbye
As Morgan looked across the field in the 13th minute of his final professional game, he did his best to capture the moment. In front of a near-capacity crowd of more than 25,000 fans, she hung up her cleats, hugged teammates, blew kisses to fans and left the National Women’s Soccer League field for the last time as a player.
“It was just an incredibly perfect day. It all came together so quickly that it was all very emotional and overwhelming and very raw because I thought I’d never have the chance to do this again. Because I’m deaf,” Morgan says. “It was a moment where I wanted to take a moment to not only celebrate what I have accomplished, but also my family, who have sacrificed so much and been with me.”
To celebrate her one last time, Morgan’s fans rushed to San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium to give her the legendary sendoff she deserved.
“Since we’ve been in San Diego, we’ve been breaking attendance records, so we were able to fill that stadium with just a few days’ notice, and people drove and flew in from all over the country. “All the love and support was incredibly special,” Morgan says.
Throughout her career, Morgan has been at the forefront of positive change and advancement in the women’s game. On the national stage, she is known for her record-breaking career and tireless efforts for equal pay. In the NWSL, she used her platform to shine a light on abuse and bring much-needed reforms to the league, including advocating for better playing conditions and a first-of-its-kind collective bargaining agreement. .
“From the beginning in 2013, we thought it was very important to maintain a stable professional league, so we put everything we could into it,” Morgan says. “My time on the field may be over, but my time in the NWSL doesn’t stop here.”
Former teammates and coaches agree that Morgan’s lasting impact forever changed the landscape of women’s soccer around the world, but her work is far from done. Because she’s not that kind of person.
“Alex is a player and a person who has had an impact on the women’s game and she influenced me when she came to Tottenham. She is the ultimate professional,” said the former Spurs manager and current New Jersey/New York manager. Juan Carlos Amoros, coach of Gotham FC.
After her first pregnancy in 2020, Morgan only played limited time for Spurs, but according to Amoros, that means she will do everything in her power to make the club, players and environment the best they can be. It was not a hindrance.
“Her legacy will last forever, but I’m sure she won’t stop here,” Amoros says. “She will have a huge impact on the community and women’s sports in general because of who she is and what she does.”
From the pitch to the stands
As Morgan moves into the next phase of her career, she is committed to continuing her work in women’s sports, including helping to drive the success of EA Sports FC, which focuses on female players around the world.
Her ideal EA FC team would include one of the USWNT forwards, such as Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, or Trinity Rodman, but essential behind her on the pitch would be a goalkeeper: The two players are Alyssa Neher and defender Naomi Girma.
“Alyssa has continued to prove that she is the best goalkeeper in the world, and it was great to watch the Olympics and see her do so well,” Morgan said. “Now look at Naomi Girma. I have never played with such a smart defender. She never gets into bad positions thanks to her positioning and footwork, and the timing of her tackles is perfect. He doesn’t really have to be on the ground as a defender and it’s very rare to see that.”
As teammates on the USWNT, Gilma (left) and Morgan won the SheBelieves Cup in 2023 and 2024. / Aaron Doster-Iman Images
Over the next few weeks, Morgan will find himself in an even more unfamiliar space: the USWNT, the audience. The prolific attacker played 224 games and scored 123 goals for the four-time World Cup winner, but his gold-medal-winning performance at the most recent Paris Olympics kept him out of the squad.
Morgan missed the tournament but has watched the team turn a corner under new coach Emma Hayes. After a disappointing showing at the 2023 World Cup, Hayes guided a young team, including Morgan’s former Wave teammate Jaden Shaw, to success.
Shaw, who can play as a forward or attacking midfielder, broke out in his rookie season and then helped lead the Wave to the NWSL Shield championship last season.
“(Shaw) didn’t make it to the Olympics, but I think he’s going to have a long career in national team and club play,” Morgan said.
This fall, the USWNT is scheduled to play friendlies against Iceland, Argentina, England and the Netherlands, with the latter two games in particular drawing a lot of attention from fans.
Morgan, who helped fuel the rivalry with his iconic goal celebration over tea in the 2019 World Cup semi-final against England, is looking forward to seeing what this exciting young side can do.
“It’s difficult to go to England and play for England there,” Morgan says. “It’s a huge challenge. At that point the team will have finished the season and it will be a very long season, but England have proven year after year that they are one of the top dogs, just like America. I think it’s going to be a really exciting game for the fans, no matter what the score is.”
Although he will definitely miss her presence on the field and in the locker room, Morgan remains grateful for her long and extraordinary career. She particularly enjoyed the opportunity to end it on her own terms, even if it was somewhat unscripted.
“I’m in a really good place right now and I was ready,” Morgan said. “It couldn’t have worked out more perfectly.”
