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FC Wave's Alex Morgan sees her number retired, but the hustle doesn't quit
Former star is now part owner
If 13 is an unlucky number, nobody told Alex Morgan. She announced her retirement on September 5, 2024, and neither the team nor Morgan wasted any time taking steps to stay committed to one another. It took just 1 year and 2 days for the San Diego Wave FC to retire her number 13 jersey, a franchise first. And in May, Morgan became a part owner of the team — solidifying yet another piece of the legacy that she continues to build with the Wave.
What does legacy mean to the Olympic gold medalist? At the pre-game press conference before the retirement ceremony, she said, “Legacy is what you make of it. It’s how you represent both the crest on the front and the name on the back. It’s leaving the game in a better place. That’s what I’ve tried to do, because that’s what all the previous generations worked so hard for.”
Arriving in San Diego via a trade with the Orlando Pride, Morgan was a marquee signing for the Wave in its inaugural season (2022), and has been a key player both on and off the pitch for the franchise. She scored a total of 28 goals in 63 appearances for the soccer club. During one standout game against Gotham FC in 2022, she scored four goals in a single match. By the time she retired, she was the club’s all-time leading scorer.
In a statement to the press, she said, “It’s a proud moment to celebrate with my family. It’s hard to put into words. This wasn’t a possibility for seven-year-old Alex. Seven-year-old Alex had a dream of playing soccer, but not in my wildest dreams could I imagine standing up here seeing my number retired, because it just wasn’t possible. And now it is.” Finding out what's possible has been a hallmark of her career, both in competition and in the sport at large. In 2016, Morgan successfully campaigned for equal pay and against treatment disparities compared to the men’s national team — across friendlies, tournaments, and World Cups.
Reflecting on her journey in San Diego, she said, “It’s been so transformative. I’ve only been a San Diegan for three and a half years, but I feel like I’ve been able to accomplish more than I ever have in the entirety of my career.” Other teams she has played for include Western New York Flash (2011), Seattle Sounders (2012), Portland Thorns (2013-2015), Lyon (2017), and the Orlando Pride (2016-2021). Despite being a nomad in the soccer world over her career, she said, “I knew when I was coming to San Diego, I was coming home.”
And San Diego was glad to have her. Current Defender Kennedy Wesley said at the post-game press conference (after a 3-0 loss to Houston): “Just being with her [Morgan] as a teammate, the level of excellence she brought out of everyone else was really inspiring. It didn’t matter who you were, how old you were, how long you’ve been on the team, she demanded a level of excellence that’s so respected and inspiring in and of itself. It made all of us want to be better. We pushed her to be better at the same time. Her level of standard and respect and respect that we all had for her was really nice and fun to be a part of.”
Now serving in an owner/leadership role, Morgan says her hope for the franchise is for it to grow and continue to evolve through having a great facility and having some of the best talent domestically and internationally. She's also chasing success on the field. “We’ve had a Shield before. We had a Challenge Cup. We need a championship now. That’s the hope for this year.”
In addition to being a minority owner of the Wave, Morgan launched the “Alex Morgan Foundation” in 2023. The foundation focuses on three different pillars: equity in sports, empowerment of girls, and support for mothers. The foundation began with a local focus in San Diego County, but has visions for scaling nationally and even globally. Even though she's hung up the cleats and seen her jersey retired, the hustle doesn’t quit.
Here's something you might be interested in.
FC Wave's Alex Morgan sees her number retired, but the hustle doesn't quit
Former star is now part owner
FC Wave's Alex Morgan sees her number retired, but the hustle doesn't quit
Former star is now part owner
If 13 is an unlucky number, nobody told Alex Morgan. She announced her retirement on September 5, 2024, and neither the team nor Morgan wasted any time taking steps to stay committed to one another. It took just 1 year and 2 days for the San Diego Wave FC to retire her number 13 jersey, a franchise first. And in May, Morgan became a part owner of the team — solidifying yet another piece of the legacy that she continues to build with the Wave.
What does legacy mean to the Olympic gold medalist? At the pre-game press conference before the retirement ceremony, she said, “Legacy is what you make of it. It’s how you represent both the crest on the front and the name on the back. It’s leaving the game in a better place. That’s what I’ve tried to do, because that’s what all the previous generations worked so hard for.”
Arriving in San Diego via a trade with the Orlando Pride, Morgan was a marquee signing for the Wave in its inaugural season (2022), and has been a key player both on and off the pitch for the franchise. She scored a total of 28 goals in 63 appearances for the soccer club. During one standout game against Gotham FC in 2022, she scored four goals in a single match. By the time she retired, she was the club’s all-time leading scorer.
In a statement to the press, she said, “It’s a proud moment to celebrate with my family. It’s hard to put into words. This wasn’t a possibility for seven-year-old Alex. Seven-year-old Alex had a dream of playing soccer, but not in my wildest dreams could I imagine standing up here seeing my number retired, because it just wasn’t possible. And now it is.” Finding out what's possible has been a hallmark of her career, both in competition and in the sport at large. In 2016, Morgan successfully campaigned for equal pay and against treatment disparities compared to the men’s national team — across friendlies, tournaments, and World Cups.
Reflecting on her journey in San Diego, she said, “It’s been so transformative. I’ve only been a San Diegan for three and a half years, but I feel like I’ve been able to accomplish more than I ever have in the entirety of my career.” Other teams she has played for include Western New York Flash (2011), Seattle Sounders (2012), Portland Thorns (2013-2015), Lyon (2017), and the Orlando Pride (2016-2021). Despite being a nomad in the soccer world over her career, she said, “I knew when I was coming to San Diego, I was coming home.”
And San Diego was glad to have her. Current Defender Kennedy Wesley said at the post-game press conference (after a 3-0 loss to Houston): “Just being with her [Morgan] as a teammate, the level of excellence she brought out of everyone else was really inspiring. It didn’t matter who you were, how old you were, how long you’ve been on the team, she demanded a level of excellence that’s so respected and inspiring in and of itself. It made all of us want to be better. We pushed her to be better at the same time. Her level of standard and respect and respect that we all had for her was really nice and fun to be a part of.”
Now serving in an owner/leadership role, Morgan says her hope for the franchise is for it to grow and continue to evolve through having a great facility and having some of the best talent domestically and internationally. She's also chasing success on the field. “We’ve had a Shield before. We had a Challenge Cup. We need a championship now. That’s the hope for this year.”
In addition to being a minority owner of the Wave, Morgan launched the “Alex Morgan Foundation” in 2023. The foundation focuses on three different pillars: equity in sports, empowerment of girls, and support for mothers. The foundation began with a local focus in San Diego County, but has visions for scaling nationally and even globally. Even though she's hung up the cleats and seen her jersey retired, the hustle doesn’t quit.
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