Soccer icon Alex Morgan announced her retirement from professional soccer on Thursday, marking the end of a remarkable career that spanned more than a decade at the highest level. Morgan, a two-time Women’s World Cup champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, is stepping away from the game at 35 years old.
She retires as one of the most decorated players in U.S. women’s national team history, leaving behind a legacy of 123 international goals and 53 assists, ranking her fifth and ninth all-time in USWNT history, respectively. Her contributions to the sport have been monumental, both for the national team and in elevating women’s soccer globally.
In addition to her international accolades, Morgan enjoyed a successful club career both in the United States and abroad. She won the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) title with the Portland Thorns in 2013 and currently plays for the San Diego Wave, where she has been a key player. Morgan’s influence on the field has made her a household name, but her impact on the growth of women’s soccer has cemented her place as a true pioneer of the sport.
Morgan shared the news in an emotional video posted to her social media channels, where she tearfully reflected on her decision to hang up her cleats.
“I’m going to get to the point quickly,” Morgan said. “I’m retiring. I have so much clarity about this decision, and I am so happy to be able to finally tell you. 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.”
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Morgan went on to reflect on her love for the game, which has been central to her life since childhood. “Soccer has been a part of me for 30 years, and it was one of the first things that I ever loved,” she said. “I gave everything to this sport, and what I got in return was more than I could ever dream of. Success for me is defined by never giving up and giving your all, and I did just that. I’m proud of the hand I had in pushing the game forward, in leaving it in a place that I’m so happy and proud of.”
In a surprise reveal, Morgan also shared a personal update—she is expecting her second child. “This is also not the retirement video I expected when I initially thought I was going to do this,” she added. “Because Charlie’s going to be a big sister. I am pregnant. And as unexpected as this came, we are so overjoyed.”
Morgan and her husband, former MLS player Servando Carrasco, have been married for 10 years and already share a daughter, Charlie. The news of her growing family adds a joyful note to an already emotional moment in her career.
Before officially stepping away from the game, Morgan will take the field one last time for the San Diego Wave this Sunday in a home match against the North Carolina Courage. It will be a bittersweet occasion as fans, teammates, and the soccer community at large celebrate her legendary career.
Morgan’s retirement marks the end of an era for U.S. women’s soccer, but her legacy will live on as one of the sport’s most influential players. From her goals and assists on the field to her role in advocating for gender equality and advancing women’s soccer, Morgan’s contributions will be remembered for years to come.
