World champion and Olympic gold medallist Alex Morgan retires from football

Morgan went on to say she was committed to the “relentless push” for investment in women’s sports, recounting a recent moment with her 4-year-old daughter Charlie, whom she shares with husband and fellow soccer player Servando Carrasco.

Charlie told her mother that when she grows up she wants to be a soccer player.

“And it just made me, look, incredibly proud, not because I want her to be a football player when she grows up, but because there’s a path that even a 4-year-old can see right now,” Morgan said. “We’re changing lives and the impact we’re having on the next generation is irreversible.”

Morgan was not only part of the U.S. women’s national soccer team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup back-to-back in 2015 and 2019, but she was also part of the team’s fight for equality. The women sued U.S. Soccer over unequal pay with the men’s national team.

While the U.S. women’s team has won multiple Olympic medals and World Cup tournaments, the men’s team has never had substantial success on the international stage. Their biggest World Cup performance was a third-place finish in 1930.

The U.S. Soccer Federation settled the lawsuit in 2022 for $24 million, which Morgan described as a “proud moment for all of us” in an interview with NBC’s “TODAY” show. But she added that the work wasn’t over.

“US Soccer has agreed to equalize prize money, and of course we’re calling on FIFA to really equalize that for men’s and women’s tournaments,” Morgan said. “That’s really what we wanted to do. Equalize across the board.”

Morgan is also a three-time Olympian, with both a gold and bronze medal playing for Team USA. She was not included in this year’s roster for the 2024 Paris Games, but has been cheering on her friends and former teammates from afar via social media.

In Thursday’s announcement, Morgan thanked her family, friends, fans and team for all the support they have given her over the years.

“I am eternally grateful,” Morgan said. “I can’t wait to celebrate one last game with you guys. It’s been a ride. And thank you.”

Her Instagram post was flooded with encouraging comments, including one from WNBA star Caitlin Clark who shared goat emojis — a synonym for “greatest of all time.”

“What a legacy you leave behind…you are an inspiration to many, including me!!” said Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin.

Sofia Jakobsson, one of Morgan’s teammates at San Diego, wrote that she was “eternally grateful” to have known Morgan, both as a player and as a person.

“One of the best players I’ve ever played with. Not only did you play great and inspire millions of kids, you changed the game for the better for the people who come after you,” Jakobsson wrote.

Rising star Trinity Rodman posted on her own Instagram that there were “no words” for Morgan.

“There are no words…you are amazing, thank you for paving the way for me and so many others,” Rodman wrote.

Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith, who made a stellar trio with Rodman at this year’s Olympics, also posted Morgan’s announcement on their stories, thanking her for her dedication to the sport.