Morgan 'has done her part' for women's football

USA legend Alex Morgan says she has "done her part" in "helping to gain respect for the women's game" following her retirement from football.

Morgan, 35, who won two Women's World Cups and an Olympic gold medal, confirmed her retirement in a video posted to social media on Thursday, where she also announced she is pregnant with her second child.

She will play her final professional match on Sunday when her club side San Diego Wave take on North Carolina Courage in the league.

"I hope my legacy is that I pushed the game forward, I helped gain respect for the women's game and increase the value and investment in the women's game," said Morgan.

"I wanted to help players like myself be respected, have better resources, be better protected, allow female players to just play soccer and not continually fight for things we shouldn't be fighting for."

In 2022, Morgan was part of the USA side which secured a landmark equal pay deal after all members of the squad filed a lawsuit.

When reflecting on that, she says it created a "butterfly effect" for the growth of women's football globally.

"Looking back to the start of my career, it overlapped with legends and so many players that had such a huge impact on women's soccer globally and domestically. That’s what I wanted," said Morgan.

"They talked about passing the torch. I helped carry that for a long time. I felt like I had a responsibility to fight for equal pay, for equity, to do different things in the sport to uplift and protect players.

"I feel like I've done my part. Fighting for equal pay in the team was such a pivotal moment in the history of women's soccer. It created a butterfly effect that is irreversible and I only see continuing to grow.

"That's why I'm so happy to say I'm retiring because we're more than fine - we are great."

Morgan broke into the USA squad when she was 19 and went on to achieve the game's biggest prizes, breaking records and winning several individual accolades.

She was left out of the USA squad for the Olympic Games this summer by new manager Emma Hayes but does not regret her decision to play another year.

"As much as I wanted to be [at the Olympics] this year, I felt we were in good hands," said Morgan.

"The future of women's soccer is in such an amazing place so I feel I have accomplished everything I came here to do.

"I'm so proud of the USA team going to France and winning gold. That to me is a proud moment because I see so many of these younger players in the team who have just been able to focus on themselves and have the pathway and the resources to get better. That's what I fought for."

Her four-year-old daughter Charlie has grown up around some of the USA's most successful female athletes.

And Morgan says the influence that will have on Charlie will be huge - much like the role her sisters played in her own career development.

"I started playing soccer when I was five or so. Before that I went to my sister's soccer games. I used to hold the ball on the sidelines," said Morgan.

"It was a big reason [as to] why I wanted to grow my family because I wanted Charlie to have siblings. My sisters were an inspiration to me.

"When I look back, I see someone who was so competitive and fearless [when I started]. I see that in my daughter now and I'm so proud to have fostered that in the way my mum did for us growing up.

"I'm so happy to see Charlie grow up around a group of women who have found purpose and are so willing to share that with her. Not a lot of girls get that at that age."

Morgan said she does not intend to go into coaching but hopes to make the most of her final match this Sunday, albeit with limited minutes.

"It's not just a celebration of me. It's a celebration of everyone who has done something to help me be here," she added.

"My family, so many friends who reached out, so many people who wanted to watch my games – I just want to take in every moment."