U.S. soccer icon Alex Morgan announces retirement, pregnancy

Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Alex Morgan , one of the most-decorated players in the history of the United States Women's National Team, will retire from soccer after her final match Sunday with the San Diego Wave, she announced Thursday.

Morgan, 35, also announced in videos posted to her social media platforms that she is pregnant with her second child.

"I'm going to get to the point quickly: I'm retiring," Morgan said in the video. "I have so much clarity about this decision and I'm so happy to be able to finally tell you.

"It has been a long time coming and this decision wasn't easy, but at the beginning of 2024, I felt in my heart and soul that this was the last season I would play soccer. 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. What I got in return was more than I could have ever dreamed of."

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Morgan's 224 caps -- international appearances -- are the ninth-most in the history of the United States Women's National Team. Her 123 goals are the fifth-most in history, trailing only Abby Wambach , Mia Hamm, Carli Lloyd and Kristine Lilly. The former team captain also totaled the ninth-most assists (53).

Morgan is tied with eight players for scoring the most goals (five) in a single game for the Americans. She won a gold medal at London 2012 and a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. Morgan also was a member of World Cup winning teams in 2014 and 2019. She was on the second-place squad at the 2011 World Cup.

"Success for me is defined by never giving up and giving your all and I did just that," Morgan said. "Giving my all every single day on the field, and I did that. Giving my all in the relentless push for global investment in women's sports because we deserve that. Giving my all in my various businesses beyond the soccer fields and giving my all as a mom to my daughter, Charlie.

"Charlie came up to me the other day and said that when she grows up she wants to be a soccer player and it just made me immensely proud, not because I wish for her to become a soccer player when she grows up, 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. I'm proud of the hand I had in making that happen and pushing the game forward and leaving it in a place that I'm so happy and proud of."

Morgan trained during her first pregnancy. She gave birth to Charlie in 2020, returned to the field six months later, and went on to play for the Americans in the Tokyo Olympics .

She will face the North Carolina Courage in her final match at 8 p.m. EDT Sunday in San Diego. The Wave also announced that they will celebrate Morgan's career at their final home match Nov. 3 at Snapdragon Stadium.