Alex Morgan

Lore & Background

Morgan was born to Pamela and Michael Morgan on July 2, 1989, in San Dimas, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. She was raised with her two older sisters, Jennifer and Jeri, in nearby Diamond Bar. She played multiple sports growing up and began playing soccer at an early age with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). Her father was one of her first coaches. She began playing club soccer at age 14 when she joined Cypress Elite. With Cypress, she won the Coast Soccer League (CSL) under-16 championship and placed third at the under-19 level. Morgan played soccer at Diamond Bar High School, where she was known for her speed and sprinting ability. She was a three-time all-league pick and was named All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). She also played for Olympic Development Program (ODP) regional and state teams. She said ODP was crucial to her development as a player, due to her late entry into club soccer.

Morgan attended University of California, Berkeley, where she played for the California Golden Bears from 2007 to 2010. She led the Golden Bears in scoring during her first and fourth seasons. During a match against Stanford in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship, Morgan scored an equalizer with less than two minutes left in regulation time, resulting in a 1–1 draw. The Golden Bears were ultimately defeated during a penalty shootout. Morgan helped the Golden Bears reach the NCAA Tournament four years in a row, advancing to the second round twice. In her junior year, she was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy and the Honda Sports Award. Morgan finished her college career ranked third all-time in goals scored (45) and points (106) for Berkeley. She graduated one semester early, with a degree in Political Economy.

At the professional level, Morgan was drafted number one overall in the 2011 Women's Professional Soccer Draft by the Western New York Flash. After helping the Flash win the league championship, she joined Portland Thorns FC in the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League. Morgan and the Thorns won the 2013 league championship before she was traded to Orlando Pride. In 2017, she signed with the French club Lyon, where she won the continental European treble, including the UEFA Women's Champions League. While playing for San Diego Wave FC in 2022, Morgan received the NWSL Golden Boot as the league's top scorer, and helped the team win the NWSL Shield the following season.

Reader's Guide

Alex Morgan's significance lies in her sustained impact on women's soccer at both the international and club levels. As a forward for the United States national team, she was a key figure in two World Cup victories (2015 and 2019) and an Olympic gold medal in 2012. Her 2012 season, in which she recorded 28 goals and 21 assists, placed her in elite company as only the second American woman after Mia Hamm to achieve 20 goals and 20 assists in a calendar year. Morgan also served as co-captain of the national team during a period of transition and advocacy for gender equity in sports. Off the field, she authored a children's book series, The Kicks, and was named to Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2019 and 2022. Her retirement in 2024 marked the end of a career that helped elevate the profile and commercial viability of women's professional soccer in the United States and abroad.

Did You Know?

• Morgan was the first overall pick in the 2011 Women's Professional Soccer Draft by the Western New York Flash.
• She co-captained the U.S. national team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020, and with Lindsey Horan in 2023.
• Morgan's children's book series, The Kicks, debuted with Saving the Team at number seven on The New York Times Best Seller list in May 2013.
• She was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2019 and 2022.