Alex Morgan Is Retiring — Here's What to Know About the Soccer Legend

Normally, 13 might not seem like a lucky number, but wearing it on the back of her jersey has made Alex Morgan a household name in women's professional soccer. Morgan, a striker for the NWSL's San Diego Wave, two-time World Cup champion, and Olympic gold medalist, announced her retirement from professional soccer on Thursday, Sept. 5 in an emotional video posted to her social media, captioned with a simple "Thank you."

"I'm going to get to the point quickly. I'm retiring," Morgan says to kick off her announcement. The legend has scored more than 123 goals in her time on the US Women's National Team (USWNT) and ranks in the top 10 in USWNT history in goals, assists, and multi-goal games, according to US Soccer.

Morgan also announced her second pregnancy in the video, saying that her daughter Charlie is going to be a big sister. Her final match will be this weekend against the North Carolina Courage.

Morgan previously played for the Orlando Pride. She made her World Cup debut in 2011 as the youngest member on the roster at age 22 and is best known for scoring the winning goal in the 2012 Olympic semifinal match against Canada, which led the US team to that gold medal title.

Off the field, Morgan has also been part of the USWNT's impassioned fight for equal pay, which resulted in a historic equal-pay agreement with the US Soccer Federation and recently earned them an ESPY Award. Morgan has become such an icon that there's an 825-pound statue of her posing like the Statue of Liberty touring the US in honor of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

"Soccer's been a part of me for 30 years and it was one of the first things that I ever loved. And I gave everything to this sport and what I got in return was more than anything I could have ever dreamt of," Morgan says in her retirement video, later adding, "I'm so shaped into me because of you, because of soccer, and I am forever grateful."

Morgan also helped launch the sports media platform Togethxr, known for their iconic "Everyone Watches Women's Sports" gear, and her own foundation. She's always strived to use her impact to fight for equality and diversity in sports in the same way she fought for equal pay with the USWNT.

In her retirement video, Morgan describes the pride she felt when her daughter Charlie recently told her she wanted to be a soccer player when she grows up. "Not because I wish for her to become a soccer player . . . but because a pathway exists that even a 4-year-old can see now. We're changing lives, and the impact we have on the next generation is irreversible. And I'm proud in the hand I had in making that happen, in pushing the game forward, in leaving it in a place that I'm so happy and proud of," Morgan says in her video.

Read further details about Morgan's story on her website, and ahead, check out more facts about the incredibly talented player and advocate.