Alex Morgan announces her retirement from soccer

35 year old Alex Morgan is stepping down from club and international football after years at the top. She’s helped the national team win to world cups and an Olympic Gold medal

Career highlights include making the final at the 2011 Women’s World Cup and the London 2012 Olympics where she scored the match-winning goal in the semi final. That year she became only the second American woman to score 20 goals and collect 20 assists in one calendar year. She also became only the sixth (and the youngest) player to score 20 goals in a season.

She was subsequently named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and was a FIFA World Player of the Year finalist. She helped the United States win their titles at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups. Alex was named in the Dream Team for both tournaments, winning the Silver Boot in 2019. She has attracted endorsements and was the most endorsed female sportsperson of 2022. Alex was named in the 2022 FIFAPro Women’s World XI and in 2023 she had the top FIFA 23 player ratings.

She retires with 123 goals from 224 international appearances, the fifth highest all-time goal scorer.

Known as a supporter of the development of the women’s game and player, Alex is pleased with her record, she says in an interview with ESPN sports.

“I hope my legacy is that I pushed the game forward, that I helped gain respect for the women’s game, that I increased the value and the investment in the women’s game, that I helped players.”

Vegan

Alex is also an advocate for animals and went vegan shortly after starring in a companion animal campaign for PETA alongside her rescued pup, Blue. This was in 2017.

“I’m passionate about giving animals a voice,” she explained. “I even adopted a vegan diet, because it didn’t feel fair to have a dog I adore, and yet eat meat all the time.”

While the decision to go vegan was ethical, Alex has also noticed benefits in terms of injuries.

Morgan, who has been prone to injury in the past, told the podcast Hurdle:

“I’m knocking on wood right now, but I haven’t had a serious injury [since her last, which was before going vegan] and I credit that to my diet. I feel better all around, I feel like I have great energy, I feel like I’m sleeping really well, I feel like I’m just more clear-minded and not as reliant on caffeine as before.” 

We wish Alex well for her life after soccer.