Alex Morgan is retiring from professional soccer as one of the United States national team’s most prolific scorers and as someone who helped lead the fight for equal pay.
The 35-year-old Morgan, who said she is pregnant with her second child, made the announcement on Thursday in a social media post. At times during the heartfelt message, Morgan was near tears.
“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,” she said. “Soccer has been a part of me for 30 years, and it was one of the first things that I ever loved. I gave everything to this sport and what I got in return was more than I could have ever dreamed of.”