Morgan plays final game after announcing retirement

United States striker Alex Morgan said an affectional goodbye to master shot connected Sunday, arsenic nan two-time World Cup victor played her last crippled successful nan National Women's Soccer League.

Morgan, 35, announced her status past week aft learning she is pregnant pinch her 2nd child.

She captained nan San Diego Wave successful a 4-1 location conclusion by North Carolina Courage.

Morgan, whose girl Charlie was calved successful 2020, missed a 10th-minute punishment earlier being substituted 3 minutes later to a opinionated ovation by nan 26,516 fans successful attendance.

Addressing nan crowd aft nan game, she said: "What a thrust it's been."

Morgan has played astatine nan apical level of nan women's crippled for 15 years and was portion of nan USA teams that won 2 successive World Cups successful 2015 and 2019.

She besides claimed a golden badge pinch her state astatine nan 2012 London Olympics.

"I want to convey my team-mates who person perpetually challenged maine each time and made maine better," she added.

"There person been truthful galore unthinkable moments successful my profession but this past infinitesimal I stock connected nan section pinch you I will cherish forever. So from nan bottommost of my heart, convey you."

Morgan made her world debut successful 2009 and has played 224 matches for nan USA, scoring 123 goals - nan fifth-best of each time. However, she was not included successful caller head Emma Hayes' squad for nan 2024 Paris Games, wherever they won gold.

She has been a beardown advocator for gender equality successful shot and successful 2019, together pinch different players successful nan nationalist team, revenge a favoritism suit against US Soccer regarding adjacent pay, pinch an agreement reached successful 2022.

In her nine career, she won a convention title pinch Portland successful 2013 earlier joining Lyon successful January 2017, wherever she helped nan French nine triumph a treble, including nan Women's Champions League.

She besides had a little three-month spell pinch Tottenham successful nan Women's Super League successful 2020.