Game Changer: Alex Morgan

You don’t have to be a soccer fan to know the name Alex Morgan. Although her retirement shocked many, she profoundly impacted the game during her fifteen years as a professional — changing the game of women’s soccer for all current and future players. Morgan has solidified her legacy as one of the all-time greats on one of the world’s most successful national teams as a key figure and captain in addition to advocating for equal pay alongside her teammates off the field.

America was hit with a shockwave as the news of the legend’s retirement was broken after so many years of leading her team to victory. Armando del Rio, the SHP Girls Varsity soccer coach who has followed Morgan’s career closely, says that he “was very surprised to hear about Alex Morgan’s retirement,” and that “she retired while still being excellent.” He also remarked that “after missing out on this year’s Olympic roster, Alex continued to demonstrate the best professionalism and be supportive of her former teammates who were representing the USA this past summer.” What makes Morgan a standout player and person is her humility and kindness toward her teammates, coaches, and fans. Despite not making the Olympic roster, she still had the strength to outwardly support the girls on the team. Coach Armando goes on to say that what he loves most about Morgan is that she “did not follow the typical recruitment process, in that she did not play club soccer until she was 16 or 17, ultimately earning a spot at Cal.” In such a popular sport, like soccer, her late start proved to be a challenge that Morgan welcomed and overcame.
In 2016, Morgan was one of five players who filed a wage discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The team later sued U.S. Soccer in 2019, highlighting unequal pay and treatment compared to the men’s national team. When asked about her retirement decision, Morgan said “We’re in good hands, the present and the future of women’s soccer is in such an amazing place where I have done everything that I’ve needed to do”. In addition to doing all she can for the sport of soccer, Alex now wants to focus her time on being the best mother she can be and she announced her pregnancy for her second child along with her retirement. Alex Morgan dedicated much of her life to the sport she loves and is ready for the next chapter of her life as she ends her career as a professional athlete.