SAN DIEGO: US soccer icon Alex Morgan bade an emotional farewell to football on Sunday as she played the very last game of her glittering profession before heading into retirement. The 35-12 months-vintage striker introduced her decision to dangle up her boots on Thursday after revealing she was pregnant along with her 2nd baby. She played the primary thirteen minutes of the San Diego Wave’s four-l National Women’s Soccer League loss to the visiting North Carolina Courage. “What a ride it has been,” Morgan instructed the cheering crowd after the fit. “I want to thank my teammates who’ve continuously challenged me each day and made me better. “There were so many awesome moments in my profession however this remaining second I proportion on the field with you I will cherish forever. So from the lowest of my coronary heart, thank you.” Morgan, who wiped away tears after speaking, thanked her own family for help and sacrifice and informed her fans: “You driven me to be my first-class self each day. “You driven me to be the excellent soccer player, the best mother, the high-quality man or woman I could be simply showing up every day and helping me, encouraging me, challenging me, criticizing me at instances. “I simply thanks a lot.” The -time World Cup-winner led San Diego’s gamers onto the sphere at the Snapdragon Stadium and posed for pix with family and friends earlier than lining up at middle-ahead. Fans held up posters with messages of gratitude which include “Thank You Alex”, even as different fanatics and loved ones wore T-shirts with the slogan “SAND13GOAT”, referencing her membership and blouse number. The fairytale farewell didn’t pretty follow the script, with Morgan seeing her 10th-minute penalty saved simply seconds earlier than San Diego equalized thru Kennedy Wesley. That purpose was the cue for Morgan to be substituted inside the 13th minute — reflecting her jersey range. She blew kisses to all corners of the ground and hugged each of her teammates earlier than leaving the sector to repeated chants of “Alex Morgan.” Speaking earlier than the sport to broadcaster CBS, Morgan said she had controlled to maintain her feelings in take a look at. “I’m feeling virtually true, no tears, yet,” she stated. “I’ve been smiling plenty those last few days, due to the fact just retaining in the retirement and the pregnancy for so long changed into just actually hard now not to share with humans and the whole lot is a lot higher together.” Morgan turned into one of the world’s pleasant-recognized women’s players throughout her profession, a part of a golden era of American girls who blazed a trail for the game. She starred inside the 2015 and 2019 US Women’s World Cup winning groups, and became known for her work off the sphere as she driven for equality in ladies’s and men’s sports activities. Morgan’s 14-yr worldwide career noticed her score 123 goals, fifth on the US ladies’s countrywide crew all-time list, with fifty three assists. Since scoring her first worldwide intention in 2010 in opposition to China, Morgan located the internet towards 32 nations, scoring the maximum towards Japan with 12. Her final sport in a US shirt got here on June 4 towards South Korea along with her closing purpose coming in opposition to Argentina final February inside the Women’s Gold Cup. Morgan performed in 22 Women’s World Cup suits and scored nine goals while netting six goals in sixteen Olympic matches. Morgan gave beginning to her first infant, daughter Charlie, in 2020 and became the 14th mother to play for the Americans. Her club records consists of prevailing a league name with Portland in 2013, and stints with Lyon in 2017 — when she helped the membership win the French league, French Cup and UEFA Champions League — and Tottenham in 2020.
