Two-time World Cup winner Morgan announces retirement

Alex Morgan scored 123 goals and assisted a further 53 across 224 appearances for the USA

Alex Morgan, who has won two Women's World Cups and an Olympic gold medal with the United States, has announced her retirement from professional football.

Morgan, 35, who confirmed her decision to retire in a video posted to social media on Thursday, also said she is pregnant with her second child.

The striker, who became one of the most famous female players in the world, will play her final professional match on Sunday when her club side San Diego Wave take on North Carolina Courage.

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

Morgan said she is "proud" to have played a part in making an "irreversible" impact on the game for the next generation of female footballers.

"It has been a long time coming and this decision [to retire] wasn’t easy," she said.

"But at the beginning of 2024 I felt in my heart and soul that this would be the last season that I would play soccer."

Morgan gave birth to her daughter, Charlie, in May 2020 and joined Women's Super League side Tottenham later that year, although she only played four matches in London before returning to the US.

She lifted the 2015 and 2019 World Cups with her country, won a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games and a bronze at Tokyo 2020.

Morgan said she has "so much clarity" about deciding to retire.

"Soccer has been a part of me for 30 years and was one of the first things that I ever loved.

"I gave everything to this sport and what I got in return was more than I could ever have dreamed of."

Former England defender Casey Stoney, who was Morgan's manager at the Wave until she was sacked in June, said "the game loses a great" with her retirement.

Stoney posted on X: "The most professional athlete I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. You drove everyone around you to be better and challenged the status quo on a daily basis. Thank you for everything you have given our game."