Photo by Meg McLaughlin/NWSL via Getty Images

Alex Morgan Has Made An Announcement That Has People Very Excited

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Tom Vinall | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 5:30 PM ET

Highlights

Confirmation of decision early on this afternoon ET
Fans extremely excited about the announcement
All great fun and for a fantastic cause

Back in September of 2024, USWNT icon Alex Morgan confirmed she would be retiring from soccer after 16 years as a professional player. Her final career game was for San Diego Wave at home to NC Courage, where she was subbed off after 15 minutes to a guard of honour and standing ovation.

Pretty much her final action as a player was to see a penalty saved, with goalkeeper Casey Murphy keeping out her spot kick just minutes before she was replaced. At that point, San Diego Wave were already 1-0 down. Talk about a rollercoaster last game - or even rollercoaster quarter of an hour.

However - whilst that may have been Morgan's final professional game - it won't have been her final game playing soccer. Indeed not, as it has been confirmed that she will take place in the 'Goal Cup' in January of 2026.

On January 17, a Morgan led team will face a Mia Hamm led team, raising funds for both Morgan and Hamm's foundations. The game will take place at the USC Rawlinson Stadium in Los Angeles, and the link is in the bio of the Goal Cup's Instagram page under the handle 'thegoalcup'.

Last month, San Diego Wave confirmed that they would be retiring Morgan's number 13 jersey, after her legendary spell at the franchise between 2022 and 2024, where she scored 28 goals in 62 appearances across all competitions.

Over her 16 year career, Morgan had some great spells, most notably at club level (aside from the San Diego Wave) at Portland Thorns between 2013 and 2015, and the Orlando Pride between 2017 and 2020, and then again in 2021.

Soccer fans in the UK may remember her brief spell with Tottenham Hotspur in 2020, where she scored two goals in five appearances. It was huge at the time for the WSL to have a player of such calibre.

But of course, the USWNT is what she is most known for, no doubt about that. Morgan represented her country 224 times at senior level, scoring an incredible 123 goals in the process. This puts her 9th in the all time appearances record, and fifth for most goals - having played fewer games than all of the players with more goals than her - including Hamm.

Just a legend of not just American soccer, but women's soccer in general - much like Hamm. The event in January between two icons of the game - in different eras - should be absolutely legendary. And with the money going towards the foundation of both players, it really is perfect all round. Be sure to grab a ticket if you are able to make it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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