Retirement, they say, isn’t the end of the road but merely a turn in the path. Similarly, Alex Morgan, through her foundation and media company, has proven that her impact on women’s soccer expands far beyond the pitch. Now, when you think of someone like Mallory Swanson, you might wonder why are we even talking about retirement. After all, she’s just 26 years old, with so much left to offer, right?

She made history in 2016 as the youngest American to score in an Olympic final, and now, in 2024, she scored the winning goal in another Olympic final, showing she’s far from ready to hang up her boots. While Mallory admits, “I don’t know if I would ever coach,” she’s not short of ideas for what she could do after her time on the field. Also expressing that retirement is not on her mind anytime soon.

Mallory Swanson opens up about her exciting life after soccer

In a candid chat with Jeff Franor, Britt, and Brad in Season 3 of Pure Athlete, the 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2019 World Cup Champion Mallory Swanson opened up about her thoughts on life after soccer. As for coaching, the 26-year-old admitted it might not be her calling. “I don’t know if I would ever coach, I’ve thought about it, I don’t think I would. Um I think some people have the calling to do that I don’t think I’m one of those people, um but then I would probably say like really try and dabble in like different areas like maybe it’s a podcast or maybe like commentating – I don’t know.”

For Mallory Swanson, life as a professional athlete is as rewarding as it is demanding. The thrill of representing her country is unmatched. But behind the scenes, there’s a rigid structure a constant whirlwind of travel, training, and strict schedules. It’s a life that doesn’t leave much room for enjoyment.

She explained about balancing the structured life of an athlete with dreams of freedom. “Just like enjoy not having to like travel and like I think for soccer it’s like you’re on a schedule so much and it’s not the schedule that you have so like really, like if I want to go to a different place across the world like be able to do that kind of stuff um I think is like the first thing.”

Mallory also reflected on how quickly time has passed in her career, expressing amazement at reaching such a significant milestone alongside her close friends. “It’s crazy, I celebrated my 100th cap with my two best friends on the team they just got their 100th cap too.” Despite being only 26, she acknowledges how fleeting these moments feel, jokingly considering if it’s time to think about the next phase of her life.

For Mallory, just like Alex Morgan, the future isn’t just about stepping off the field but stepping into new adventures. So, what does she do?

Alex Morgan’s secret side hustle post-soccer

As Alex Morgan envisions life beyond soccer, she’s not slowing down. Instead, she’s stepping into a new role: a trailblazer for the next generation of female athletes through her foundation and media company, Togethxr. Her mission? To ensure girls everywhere see their potential, both on and off the field. Furthermore, she’s also using The Alex Morgan Foundation to empower young girls through sports and nurturing the stars of tomorrow.

During a lively chat on the episode of A Touch More with Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird podcast, Alex dropped an exciting hint about her other investment venture. When Bird casually asked about owning a franchise, Morgan’s response was intriguing. “Yes, we have been introduced to many many opportunities that we are looking at. In real time, right now, we are seeing Toronto. Because everything, we do, we do together. And there is, yeah, there is definitely interest.”

So, it seems Alex Morgan’s next chapter could involve scoring big in the world of franchise ownership, proving once again she’s a powerhouse on and off the field. With it, her legacy will continue to extend and we all will bear witness, too.