American soccer player Alex Morgan announced her retirement on Sept. 5, signalling the end of an era as she closes off her well-decorated career with the San Diego Wave match on Sept. 8. Morgan spent most of her playing career in the United States, playing for teams in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)—including six seasons with the Orlando Pride, her most with any club—and brief stints abroad in Lyon and north London. Internationally, she is in the top fifteen for most-capped women’s soccer players, and she was part of the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) squads that won the 2015 and 2019 FIFA World Cups, the 2012 Olympic gold medal, and the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup. She has also routinely been a champion for gender equity in the sport and has hopes of investing in women’s sports even after retirement. Here is a look at some of the iconic moments of her career, both on and off the field.
Pink pre-wrap
Morgan’s signature hairstyle includes a headband made out of pink pre-wrap. This had soccer girls everywhere rushing to stores to buy pre-wrap and try the look themselves. In Morgan’s prime, most girls’ soccer games in the U.S. featured at least a few girls imitating the style of their idol as part of their gameday outfit. Her look is more than just a fashion statement—she began wearing pink pre-wrap as a show of her support for her mother-in-law, who was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Her goal and tea celebration vs. England
Sorry Brits—it had to be done. Alex Morgan’s tea-sipping celebration, which came after she scored the winning goal against England in the 2019 World Cup semifinal, was in part meant to be a way of saying “that’s the tea” along with a cheeky nod towards the fact that they were playing England; however, it ended up being taken as an insult to English tea-drinking culture. Although she was criticized across the pond, it is a memorable moment in women’s soccer history and contrasts the narrative that women’s soccer players should conduct themselves in an overly humble manner.
Stoppage time header against Canada in the 2012 Olympics
The U.S. was up against Canada in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympics, and by the end of the second half of extra time, it appeared that the game would be decided with penalty kicks. The game had been steadily back-and-forth up until that point, with Canada going ahead in three separate instances and the U.S. equalizing each time. However, in the 123rd minute—three minutes into stoppage time of the second period of extra time—Morgan got her head on the end of a Heather O’Reilly cross and scored the winning goal, which is now one of the most famous goals in USWNT history. The USWNT went on to beat Japan in the final, winning their fourth gold medal.
Five goals against Thailand
The 2019 World Cup also saw the USWNT win 13-0 against Thailand in the group stage, a game that still holds the record for the largest scoreline in the competition. Morgan was the standout player in this game by a long shot – she scored five goals and assisted three others, achieving a FotMob rating of 9.9. Her goal tally tied the record for the most goals scored in a single game for both the men’s and the women’s World Cup.
Filing the complaint that led to the equal pay agreement
In 2019, players on the USWNT were still being paid less than the men—despite the fact that the USWNT had generated more revenue than the men in the three years prior. That year, Morgan was one of five USWNT players who filed a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) on the grounds of gender discrimination—a lawsuit they won in 2022 in a milestone moment. As a result of the case, USSF gave players a lump sum back payment, opportunities for post-retirement funding, and a commitment to equal pay.
