Alex Morgan has joined the investor group for the San Diego Wave, the National Women’s Soccer League team she played for before retiring from professional soccer.
The Wave announced Tuesday that the two-time Women's World Cup winner has rejoined the club as a minority stakeholder.
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“San Diego is where I’ve built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career,” Morgan said in a statement. “I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this Club has the power to change the future of women’s sports."
Morgan announced she was retiring after a 15-year career in professional soccer last September, when she was pregnant with her son Enzo, who was born last month. A crowd of 26,516 filled San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium for Morgan’s farewell match.
Morgan was among the first players signed by the Wave after the club joined the NWSL in 2021. She went on to play 63 matches with the Wave and scored 28 goals, including the team's first.
Morgan played in 150 NWSL matches over her career, which included stints with the Portland Thorns and the Orlando Pride.
In addition to World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, Morgan also won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 for the United States. She played in 224 matches for the U.S., with 123 goals (fifth on the career list) and 53 assists. She was named the U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2012 and 2018.
Off the field, Morgan advanced women’s soccer through her fight for equal pay. The U.S. women filed a lawsuit in 2019 that led to a historic agreement in 2022 that provided the women with pay equitable to what U.S. men's players received.
She also paved the way for reforms in the NWSL, calling for the adoption of an anti-harassment policy after a coach misconduct scandal rocked the league in 2021.
“Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,” said Lauren Leichtman, controlling owner of the Wave. “She used her platform to lead, to advocate, and to build something meaningful in San Diego. Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building.”
In addition to their son, Morgan and her husband, Servando Carrasco, have a daughter, Charlie, who was born in 2020.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer