It was her last match, yet, Alex Morgan left to the bench in the 13th minute in tonight’s San Diego Wave vs NC Courage. Why the 13th minute? A tribute from the Wave to sub off Morgan after 13 minutes because 13 is her jersey number. But why did Morgan choose a #13 jersey in the first place, when the number is seen as a harbinger of bad luck? Firstly, the 35-year-old believes that such a notion is utterly ridiculous. Then, Morgan has managed to thwart any kind of bad luck, as she’s one of the serial winners women’s soccer has ever seen.

Curious minds have previously confronted the two-time World Champion regarding her jersey number choice. And here’s what Morgan said regarding her love for the otherwise unlucky number.

Alex Morgan’s love for #13 unearthed

Back in a 2015 conversation with CNN Sports, the interviewer asked Alex Morgan why she chose 13 as her jersey number when people generally tend to avoid it. “Me and my sister … we never really understood the unluckiness of the number 13,” said Morgan in response. Thereafter, the USWNT legend revealed a crazy entrepreneurship idea she and her sister had after seeing hotels skip a 13th floor.

“We always told ourselves that when we got old and rich we would have a hotel called “The Lucky 13” and all of the floors would be 13a, 13b, 13c… It was something that we joked about, just the ridiculousness of people thinking a simple number was unlucky,” the former Orlando Pride star added. Continuing, she revealed that she was thankful for achieving so much with a #13 jersey on. “So I thought ‘I’m going to take it!’ I’ve never seen any unluckiness in this number and it’s done great things for me,” she said.

Unluckiness has always been at bay for Morgan, as she leaves the beautiful game with two World Cups, an Olympic gold, an NWSL title, and more. Let’s now examine a moment 13 has become a lucky charm to the 35-year-old and also how the number has recurred in her farewell game.

Number 13 loves Alex Morgan too, it seems

While Alex Morgan got subbed off in the 13th minute, a raucous bunch of San Diego fans kept on chanting her name. And what T-shirt did they wear? They sported a Wave jersey which had, ‘SAND13GOAT’ written on it. Indeed, a fitting tribute to the former USWNT megastar. However, the digits 1 and 3 are coming together in a rather bizarre and forgetful fashion in Morgan’s last dance. As we speak, the Wave is losing 1-3 at home to the NC Courage! Definitely not the tribute Morgan wanted.

However, 13 has been a recurring motif in certain other huge moments in the US striker’s life. In 2022, she earned her 200th cap with the American women’s team, becoming the 13th player to achieve it. Quite the coincidence, we must say. Besides, the Wave superstar won her first NWSL title with the Portland Thorns in 2013. Hence, if 13 has been anything for Morgan, it is nothing but a lucky charm.