Alex Morgan gets special honor: unlucky for some

Alex Morgan has not left. Despite her retirement, she will never disappear. One year after announcing her definitive farewell to professional soccer, the American icon received a tribute of global resonance. Her club, San Diego Wave of the NWSL, retired her number 13 jersey.

“This wasn’t possible for 7-year-old Alex.”

Morgan

“This wasn’t possible for seven-year-old Alex. That Alex dreamed of playing soccer, but not even in my wildest dreams could I imagine this – seeing my jersey retired. It simply wasn’t possible… And now it is. I’m grateful it happened here, at home. This means everything,” she said in an emotional speech.

Her career was unstoppable. From the West Coast to Portland Thorns, Orlando Pride, and two spells in Europe: first with Olympique Lyonnais and later with Tottenham. During her Premier League stint, she traveled with her newborn daughter. The image of Morgan breastfeeding on the bench during training went around the world, showing that motherhood and elite sport could coexist.

What Morgan achieved in soccer was immense. She made history both at club level and with the US women’s national team, earning 224 caps and scoring 123 goals. Her résumé is unmatched – World Cup winner, Olympic champion, Champions League, NWSL – but her impact extended far beyond the pitch. Morgan was among the first players to become a global icon, opening doors for young girls in what once seemed a sport only for men.

The biggest American brands saw her potential. As early as 15 years ago, her face lit up Times Square. Time proved them right: she became a planetary figure, a superstar. She was one of those who cleared the path for today’s stars like Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí, and others.

With a packed stadium, Morgan became only the second NWSL player to have her jersey retired, following her compatriot Megan Rapinoe. Her legacy will be impossible to erase – ever.

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