Last September marked the end of an era for women's soccer in the United States. Alex Morgan played her final soccer match on September 8th, 2024, bringing her decorated career to an end.
She spent the past three seasons with the San Diego Wave, who recently announced that they will be retiring her jersey this September, nearly a year after she played her final game on the pitch.
The Wave entered the NWSL as an expansion team in 2022, and Morgan was traded to San Diego to be their anchor. Anchor she was, as she helped lead the team to a playoff appearance in the franchise's first year (and scoring 15 goals along the way).
In 2023, she wasn't the whole team but still played a massive role in the Wave's success, as the team won the Shield, which is given to the team with the best record at the end of the year.
Most people would recognize Morgan more for her work outside of the NWSL, however, where she earned 224 caps with the United States Women's National Team and scored 123 goals.
She appeared in four World Cups with the USWNT, winning two titles (2015 and 2019), and also made three appearances in the Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in 2012 and a bronze medal in 2020.
NWSL's San Diego Wave will retire Alex Morgan's No. 13 jersey
This honor is well-deserved because during her time with the Wave, Morgan was a massive selling point for the club.
They were in the top three in attendance in each of her three years with the team and she helped them reach the postseason in two of her three years. She became a minority investor with the Wave in May.
Even people who don't know much about women's soccer know who Alex Morgan is and that's a testament to what a talented player she was.
She was successful at both the club and international level, and it makes perfect sense that the Wave is honoring her by retiring her No. 13 jersey.
No one else should ever wear Morgan's No. 13 jersey in San Diego, and now no one ever will.