During her emotional retirement announcement, Alex Morgan fought back tears while speaking about her daughter’s soccer dreams. “It just made me immensely proud. Not because I wish for her to become a soccer player when she grows up, but because a pathway exists that even a four-year-old can see now.” Besides leaving a towering USWNT and NWSL legacy behind, Morgan can also be proud of building this ‘pathway’ in women’s soccer. Alex has been the face of a second golden generation of the USWNT, thanks to her supreme goal tally and big wins. Besides, she was also at the center of the USWNT’s fight to sign an equal pay CBA.

Speaking of CBAs, the NWSL agreed with its players’ association to sign its most player-friendly CBA to date. Indeed, Alex Morgan’s efforts to create the NWSL’s Anti-Harassment policy must have inspired the NWSL’s younger generation to fight for better environments. But the two-time world champion and one-time Olympic winner’s heroic contributions don’t only pertain to USWNT and the NWSL. She has been invested in showing the way for aspiring girl soccer players around the US. Let’s look at the US legend’s big, yet noble win off the pitch.

The likes of Alex Morgan raising their voices led to women’s soccer becoming a better place

The year was 2016. The USWNT was fresh off its third World Cup win. Yet, those sensational bunch of players were facing pay discrimination. So, USWNT heavyweights, Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Carli Lloyd filed a lawsuit against the US Soccer for violating equal pay-related norms. The battle that began then came to fruition in 2022 when the USMNT and the USWNT signed for an equal pay CBA. Morgan, who was a trailblazer in this six-year-long battle said, “As proud as I am of my soccer career, I’m equally proud of what I’ve fought for and helped build off the pitch. Pay equity. Player safety. Visibility and storytelling.”

A vocal leader in the NWSL, the San Diego Wave star brought together 240 players to send a letter to the league’s chief, demanding player protection policies. After shockingly discovering that the NWSL handbook doesn’t entail any player protection policies, Morgan urged the league to implement nine specific norms related to workplace welfare. In 2021, she made an effort to bring the serious harassment allegations against her NWSL peers to the limelight and ultimately saw the league draft its anti-harassment policy.

Now, Alex Morgan is also giving back to the community through her foundation.

A sneak peek into Alex Morgan’s foundation, which is showing the way for aspiring players

The former Orlando Pride and Tottenham star founded the Alex Morgan Foundation in March 2023. Before a year of its launch, the foundation donated $188,500 in grants. Morgan made notable contributions to three grassroots soccer programs for girls in the South Bay. Besides, the San Diego Star’s foundation and Nike FC have time and again come together to host free soccer camps. Through her organization, the USWNT legend has also vowed to help young mothers with significant donations.

Now that Morgan’s career has come to an unexpected end, we can see her foundation grow to new heights. Morgan’s retirement, as abrupt as it might sound, is also a classic example of a player knowing the right time to hang their boots. Recurrent injuries have taken a toll on the veteran lately. She saw a World Cup exit and an Olympic snub within a year. So, it feels like a timely decision from the 2x world champion. After all, a vibrant retirement life awaits Morgan, as she is about to welcome her second child soon.