"I'll be a soccer player" - Alex Morgan's childhood letter
She is a living legend for United States women's football, but it wasn't an easy journey, and the star foward revealed her barriers through a heartfelt letter.
She recently appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine and last April she reached 100 goals with the United States Women's National Team. She may be one of the most media-friendly and charismatic players in the sport, but getting there wasn't easy for Alex Morgan.
The renowned American player went through some difficult times on her way to becoming a professional, and through a letter posted on the platform theplayerstribune.com, Morgan related some of the most critical passages in her life, but especially focused on her childhood and teenage years.
Morgan shared a letter he gave to her mother when she was just a kid, as her homework assignment was to write about what she wanted to be when she was older. Without hesitation, Alex wrote: "Hi mommy, my name is Alex, and I am going to be a professional soccer player. I love you."
"I still do not know why I wrote it. I had never seen a women's soccer game on TV. I didn't know there was a professional league. I didn't even know that women's soccer was more than just playing for fun," recalls Alex, who also said her mother still has the note.
Morgan explained how her family was vital for her development and growth in soccer: her father took her to practice, but he didn't understand much about the game. At first, one of her coaches told her she wasn't good enough, which almost led to her exploring other opportunities.
The moment of truth
Morgan knocked on doors until she found the right place, with a coach that gave her the necessary confidence. Her quality led her to be called up for the U-17 national team, and since then, nothing has got in her way. "I began to realize the note I had written to my mother was really going to come true. And then came the things that most people know about: my debut with the national team in 2010, the Olympic gold, the World Cup, all that..." wrote Morgan.
At 29 years old and with 100 goals for the USA, Alex Morgan has built an important legacy in women's football in the United States. She currently plays for Orlando Pride of the NWSL and her only European experience was with Olympique Lyon.