Alex Morgan intends to ‘invest in women’s sports’ after playing retirement

Alex Morgan said her role after football is yet to be determined but that her future lies “in investing in women’s sports” after announcing she is pregnant and will end her professional career after Sunday’s game against North Carolina Courage.

When asked if she was considering a coaching career, the San Diego forward said: “I haven’t gotten any coaching licenses. I’m just saying I don’t think coaching is in my future.

“I think I’ve found my calling in just investing in women’s sports, doing as much as I can to give women’s sports the biggest platform possible. I do that through my media company, Together. I do that through my foundation, the Alex Morgan Foundation, which I started here in San Diego last year, and through other different companies and investments, personal investments that I have, including Unrivalled, the new women’s basketball [three-on-three] league. So I think that’s where I’ll have the most impact.”

In a packed press conference, there were a number of surprise guests present to listen to the two-time World Cup winner. “I am overwhelmed and just so grateful that I have my [San Diego Wave] teammates here,” she said. “I had no idea. It’s unbelievable to see how much support they’re giving me today… I was driving here, obviously late and rushing, and the security at the loading dock said, ‘Oh, are you one of the players?’ And I said, ‘I am the player.’ He was like, ‘Okay, yeah, park over there.’ And then I walked in and I was like, ‘Oh, okay, one of the players, yeah, I’m not the only one, but it was just incredible to see my teammates here… some of them are closer to my daughter’s age than I am.”

Morgan said she had made the decision to retire in early 2024 but her pregnancy had brought the end of her playing career forward.

“I’m so grateful to have so much clarity in the decision I made at the beginning of this year to retire at the end of the season. Yes, it’s short, but it’s been a year I’m so grateful for, despite all the ups and downs,” she said.

Those ups and downs were a test, but she doesn’t regret anything. “I’ve always been a believer in betting on yourself, trying and not giving up,” she said. “When I look back at this year, it’s definitely not what I imagined, because of the Olympics, because of the season we’re having here, but I definitely wouldn’t regret playing another year, because I’ve always told myself that if you don’t try, you can’t succeed … that’s all I’ve tried to do, give as much as I can, even though this year has been difficult, mentally, physically, with injuries, [being] left out an important selection [for the Olympics].

“It’s all part of the character that I’ve built, to be able to react to things and overcome adversity. This isn’t the first time in my career that these kinds of things have happened and I’ve always been able to overcome them, and I’ve always leaned on teammates, on family and on my support system.”

Now there is one more game. When did she decide that this would be the last game? “A few weeks ago,” she said. “I found out I was pregnant and as unexpected as it was, I was so happy because this was what our family wanted. A few months earlier than expected, but we were very happy nonetheless.

“The last couple of weeks have been very stressful. I had to talk to my doctor, talk to my husband, understand when I could safely play, when the last game would be, when I would announce it and finally tell my teammates and the world. It just felt like this was the time. I felt like I had lost a little bit of a step the last couple of weeks, playing, and I felt like this was the right decision for my body, my mind and my heart at this time.”