Career Timeline of Alex Morgan: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Alex Morgan, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Alex Morgan is an American professional soccer player renowned as a striker. She most recently played for San Diego Wave FC in the NWSL, where she was captain, and the United States national team. Morgan co-captained the United States alongside Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020 and then alongside Lindsay Horan in 2023, highlighting her leadership role within the team.
1999: The 99ers Documentary
Alex Morgan appeared in The 99ers documentary, focused on the success and legacy of the national team squad that won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.
2006: Called Up to National Team
In 2006, at 17 years old, Alex Morgan was called up to the United States under-20 women's national soccer team.
2007: First Season with the Cal Bears
In 2007, Alex Morgan started attending the University of California, Berkeley and during her first season with the California Golden Bears, she led the team in scoring. She also scored an equalizer against Stanford in the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.
April 2008: Return to National Team After Injury
In April 2008, Alex Morgan returned to the United States under-20 women's national soccer team after recovering from an ACL injury she sustained in 2006.
2008: First major tournament since 2008 Olympics without Morgan
Alex Morgan was not selected to the 18-player roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics, making this the first major tournament for the United States without Morgan since the 2008 Olympics.
March 2010: First Cap for Senior National Team
In March 2010, Alex Morgan made her first appearance for the senior national team as a substitute in a match against Mexico.
October 2010: First International Goal
In October 2010, Alex Morgan scored her first international goal as a substitute against China, resulting in a 1–1 draw.
2010: End of Collegiate Career
In 2010, Alex Morgan's collegiate career at the University of California, Berkeley, where she played for the California Golden Bears, came to an end. She led Cal in scoring and helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament four years in a row.
January 14, 2011: First Overall Pick in WPS Draft
On January 14, 2011, Alex Morgan was the first overall pick in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash and the first Cal player to be drafted in the first round of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).
May 1, 2011: First Goal for the Flash
On May 1, 2011, Alex Morgan scored her first goal for the Western New York Flash during the team's home opener, a 3–0 win over the Atlanta Beat.
July 2011: Morgan signs endorsement deal with Bank of America
In July 2011, Alex Morgan signed a one-year endorsement deal with Bank of America.
2011: Morgan co-stars in SportsCenter commercial
In 2011, Alex Morgan co-starred with Hope Solo in a television commercial promoting ESPN's SportsCenter.
2011: Professional Debut and League Championship
In 2011, Alex Morgan was drafted number one overall in the WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash, made her professional debut, and helped the team win the league championship. She was also the youngest player on the national team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the team was runner-up.
2011: Book series idea conceived
In 2011, James Frey approached Alex Morgan with the idea of creating a book series based around soccer for young girls.
January 2012: Morgan becomes brand ambassador for GNC
In January 2012, Alex Morgan and Heather Mitts became brand ambassadors for health product company, GNC.
March 7, 2012: First Career Hat-Trick
On March 7, 2012, Alex Morgan scored her first career hat-trick during a 4–0 victory against Sweden in the third-place match of the Algarve Cup.
May 2012: Scoring Streak
Between January and late May 2012, Alex Morgan scored 14 goals in a 12-match stretch.
September 2012: Morgan guests on Live with Kelly and Michael
In September 2012, Alex Morgan and teammate Carli Lloyd were guests on Live with Kelly and Michael following the 2012 Summer Olympics.
2012: London Olympics and Record-Breaking Season
At the 2012 London Olympics, Alex Morgan scored the match-winning goal in the semi-final against Canada. She finished 2012 with 28 goals and 21 assists, joining Mia Hamm as the only American woman to achieve this in a single year. She was also named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and a FIFA World Player of the Year finalist.
2012: Season with Seattle Sounders Women
During the 2012 season, Alex Morgan made three regular season appearances for the Seattle Sounders Women, scoring two goals and serving two assists. The team's matches saw significantly higher attendance due to the presence of national teammates.
2012: Morgan appears in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
In 2012, Alex Morgan appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, in a section composed of athletes in body paint.
2012: Record-Breaking Year
In 2012, Alex Morgan led the U.S. in goals (28), multi-goal matches (9), assists (21), and points (77). She joined an exclusive club as she and Hamm are the only USWNT players to record at least 20 goals and 20 assists in the same calendar year.
2012: Olympic Semi-Final Winning Goal
In 2012, Alex Morgan scored the winning goal in the Olympic semi-final match against Canada in extra time, sending the United States to the gold medal match against Japan. Her goal came in the 123rd minute, the latest goal ever scored by a member of the U.S. women's team and a FIFA record.
2012: Morgan signs deal to pen "The Kicks" series
In 2012, Alex Morgan signed with Simon & Schuster to pen The Kicks, a four-book series for middle-grade readers.
2012: London Olympics Group Play
In the opening match of 2012 London Olympics group play, Alex Morgan scored both the equalizer and the goal that sealed the win against France. In the next three Olympic matches, she assisted on the match-winning goal.
2012: 2012 Olympic Games
The text references the epic semi-final of the 2012 Olympic Games.
January 11, 2013: Joining Portland Thorns FC
On January 11, 2013, Alex Morgan was one of three U.S. national team players to join the Portland Thorns FC for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League via the NWSL Player Allocation.
May 14, 2013: Saving The Team book release
On May 14, 2013, Alex Morgan's first novel, Saving The Team, was released and debuted at number seven on The New York Times Best Seller list for Children's Middle Grade in its first week of sales.
May 2013: The Kicks: Saving the Team debut
In May 2013, Alex Morgan's middle-grade book series, The Kicks, debuted with the first book, Saving the Team, at number seven on The New York Times Best Seller list.
June 2, 2013: Goals Against Canada
On June 2, 2013, Alex Morgan scored two goals as the U.S. defeated Canada 3–0 in Toronto.
August 31, 2013: NWSL Championship Title with Portland Thorns
On August 31, 2013, Alex Morgan and Portland captured the league's inaugural championship title after defeating regular season champions Western New York Flash 2–0; Morgan assisted on the second goal.
September 3, 2013: Sabotage Season book release
On September 3, 2013, Alex Morgan's second novel, Sabotage Season, in "The Kicks" series was released.
October 2013: Morgan becomes spokesperson for ChapStick
In October 2013, Alex Morgan joined a two-year partnership as the spokesperson for ChapStick.
2013: Morgan appears in Nine for IX documentary
In 2013, Alex Morgan appeared in the ESPN documentary series, Nine for IX. The Nine for IX documentary, The 99ers, focused on the success and legacy of the national team squad that won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.
2013: NWSL Championship with Portland Thorns FC
In 2013, Alex Morgan joined Portland Thorns FC and helped the team win the league championship that year.
2013: Morgan replicates Katy Perry's album cover for ESPN
In 2013, Alex Morgan was featured in the music issue of ESPN The Magazine replicating Katy Perry's One of the Boys album cover.
2014: Season with Portland Thorns FC
In 2014, Alex Morgan returned to the Thorns for the season and scored six goals in her 15 appearances for the club.
2014: "The Kicks" series greenlit by Amazon Prime
In 2014, Frey's production company, Full Fathom Five, produced a live-action kids comedy series based on the books, called The Kicks. The series was greenlit by Amazon Prime.
January 2015: Morgan guest-stars on Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn
In January 2015, Alex Morgan guest-starred on an episode of Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn entitled The Quad Test.
April 2015: Morgan announces American Idol winner to record FIFA song
In April 2015, Alex Morgan joined Abby Wambach on American Idol to announce that the show's season winner would record the official song for Fox's coverage of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
May 2015: Morgan featured on ESPN Magazine cover
In May 2015, Alex Morgan was featured on the cover of ESPN Magazine with teammates Abby Wambach and Sydney Leroux.
June 2015: Morgan named highest paid American women's soccer player
In June 2015, Time named Alex Morgan the highest paid American women's soccer player, mostly due to her endorsement deals.
July 2015: Morgan appears on FIFA 16 cover
In July 2015, Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair and Steph Catley became the first female athletes to appear on the cover of EA Sports' FIFA 16 video game for the U.S. region-specific packaging.
October 26, 2015: Traded to Orlando Pride
On October 26, 2015, Alex Morgan was traded to expansion team Orlando Pride.
2015: End of time at Portland Thorns FC
Alex Morgan's time at Portland Thorns FC ended in 2015, after which she was traded to Orlando Pride.
2015: Limited Appearances for the Thorns
During the 2015 season, Alex Morgan made four appearances for the Thorns due to her national team commitments at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored one goal during a 3–3 draw against the Washington Spirit on August 31.
2015: Morgan and teammates honored after World Cup win
Following the United States' win at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Alex Morgan and her teammates became the first women's sports team to be honored with a ticker tape parade in New York City and were honored by President Barack Obama at the White House in October of the same year.
2015: "The Kicks" series begins airing on Amazon Prime
In 2015, "The Kicks", a live-action kids comedy series based on the books, began airing on Amazon Prime.
2015: FIFA Women's World Cup Title
In 2015, Alex Morgan helped the United States win the FIFA Women's World Cup.
2015: Return to International Play
In 2015, Alex Morgan scored in a 1–0 friendly win over England upon her return to the international stage and was part of the USWNT that won its tenth Algarve Cup. She also scored in the 3-0 defeat of Switzerland.
2015: Top-Paid American Women's Soccer Player and FIFA Cover Appearance
In 2015, Alex Morgan was ranked by Time as the top-paid American women's soccer player. She also became the first women's soccer player to appear on the cover of FIFA video games.
March 2016: SheBelieves Cup Golden Boot and MVP
In March 2016, Alex Morgan was awarded the Golden Boot and MVP award at the first SheBelieves Cup competition. She scored in victories against France and Germany as the USWNT won the tournament.
July 12, 2016: Rio Olympics Roster
On July 12, 2016, Alex Morgan was named to the United States' 18-player roster for the Rio Olympics.
2016: Morgan appears in Chobani commercials
In 2016, Alex Morgan appeared in commercials for Chobani.
2016: Debut Season with Orlando Pride
In 2016, Alex Morgan began her season with the Orlando Pride.
2016: Morgan joins UNICEF Kid Power as Champion
In 2016, Alex Morgan joined UNICEF Kid Power as a UNICEF Kid Power Champion, to fight global malnutrition and raise awareness among kids via the world's first "wearable for good", created by UNICEF.
2016: Debut in Division 1 Féminine
In 2016, Alex Morgan made her Division 1 Féminine debut, recorded two assists, and scored five goals in her eight appearances during the regular season.
2016: UEFA Women's Champions League Debut
In 2016, Alex Morgan made her UEFA Women's Champions League debut.
January 5, 2017: Signing with Olympique Lyonnais
On January 5, 2017, Alex Morgan signed with French champions Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon).
June 21, 2017: Addition to Orlando Pride's Roster
On June 21, 2017, the Orlando Pride announced Alex Morgan's addition to their active roster following the Champions League Final.
September 2017: Morgan and Rapinoe Join Common Goal Campaign
In September 2017, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe became the first two female players in the United States to join the Common Goal campaign. This initiative, created by Juan Mata, involves players donating 1% of their wages to soccer-related charities.
September 2017: Termination of Lyon Contract and Return to Orlando
In September 2017, Alex Morgan announced that she would terminate her contract with Lyon and return to Orlando for the start of the 2018 season.
2017: Morgan travels to Tanzania as Sports Envoy
In 2017, Alex Morgan and her husband, Servando, traveled to Tanzania as Sports Envoys with the U.S. State Department's Sports Diplomacy Office, hosting soccer clinics and visiting schools to promote gender equality and inclusion through sport.
2017: Continued Play with Orlando Pride
In 2017, Alex Morgan continued to play for the Orlando Pride.
2017: 2017 Season
In 2017, Alex Morgan made three appearances at the SheBelieves Cup. She also scored one goal in a match vs Japan on August 3 during the 2017 Tournament of Nations and led the team in goals scored with seven.
2017: Continental European Treble with Lyon
In 2017, Alex Morgan signed with French team Lyon, where she won the continental European treble, which included the UEFA Women's Champions League.
2017: UEFA Women's Champions League Final
On June 1, 2017, Alex Morgan started in the 2017 UEFA Women's Champions League Final, but was subbed off due to injury. Lyon won the match.
June 2018: Morgan makes acting debut in "Alex & Me"
In June 2018, Alex Morgan made her acting debut in the direct-to-video film Alex & Me, portraying a poster of herself who comes to life.
June 2018: Release of Alex & Me Film
In June 2018, the film Alex & Me, starring Alex Morgan in her acting debut as a fictionalized version of herself, was released.
July 2018: Morgan joins Molecule as ambassador
In July 2018, Alex Morgan joined the team of ambassadors at Molecule, an athlete recovery mattress and bedding company.
2018: Co-Captain of the United States National Team
In 2018, Alex Morgan began co-captaining the United States national team alongside Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe.
2018: Return to Orlando Pride
In 2018, Alex Morgan returned to Orlando Pride, playing in nineteen games and contributing five goals.
April 4, 2019: Morgan scores 100th career international goal
On April 4, 2019, Alex Morgan scored her 100th career international goal in a friendly match against Australia.
August 2019: Last Time Played Before Hiatus
August 2019 was the last time Alex Morgan played before taking a hiatus due to pregnancy.
2019: Last appearance at the 2019 World Cup final
Alex Morgan last played in the 2019 World Cup final against the Netherlands.
2019: FIFA Women's World Cup Title and Silver Boot
In 2019, Alex Morgan helped the United States win their title at the FIFA Women's World Cup, where she was named to the Dream Team and won the Silver Boot.
2019: Morgan poses for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover
In 2019, Alex Morgan posed for one of the three Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers.
2019: Limited Appearances for Orlando Pride
In 2019, Alex Morgan spent most of the season on international duty and ended the season injured, featuring in only six games for Orlando and failing to score.
2019: Featured in FIFA 19
In 2019, Alex Morgan was featured in The Journey on FIFA 19 sold in the United States and named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People.
September 12, 2020: Signing with Tottenham Hotspur
On September 12, 2020, Alex Morgan signed with English FA Women's Super League team Tottenham Hotspur.
November 7, 2020: Spurs Debut
On November 7, 2020, Alex Morgan made her Spurs debut, appearing as a substitute in a WSL draw against Reading.
November 27, 2020: Morgan makes national team comeback after pregnancy
On November 27, 2020, Alex Morgan made her national team comeback and first appearance under new head coach Vlatko Andonovski, in a friendly against the Netherlands, 509 days since her last appearance against the same opposition in the 2019 World Cup final, following a disruption in her career due to pregnancy and the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 6, 2020: First Goal for Tottenham Hotspur
On December 6, 2020, Alex Morgan scored her first goal for Tottenham Hotspur, a penalty in a victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.
December 2020: Departure from Tottenham Hotspur
In December 2020, Alex Morgan ended her contract with Tottenham Hotspur and returned to the United States.
2020: End of Co-Captaincy with Lloyd and Rapinoe
In 2020, Alex Morgan's co-captaincy of the United States national team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe came to an end.
February 2021: Morgan named to SheBelieves Cup roster
In February 2021, Alex Morgan was named to the 2021 SheBelieves Cup roster.
April 21, 2021: Return to Orlando Pride and Assist
On April 21, 2021, Alex Morgan made her first appearance for Orlando Pride since August 2019, marking 609 days since her last game. During the match on April 21, 2021, she provided an assist on Sydney Leroux's goal in a 1–0 Challenge Cup victory over Washington Spirit.
May 2021: NWSL Player of the Month
In May 2021, Alex Morgan was named NWSL Player of the Month for the second time in her career after scoring in each of the first four games of the regular season, helping Orlando Pride finish May at the top of the table.
May 2021: Potential Contract Extension End Date
May 2021 was the potential end date of Alex Morgan's contract extension with Tottenham Hotspur, but she left earlier in December 2020.
June 2021: Morgan named to US Olympic soccer team roster
In June 2021, Alex Morgan was named in the 18-player United States Women's soccer team roster for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
September 21, 2021: Morgan scores sixth career international hat-trick
On September 21, 2021, Alex Morgan scored her sixth career international hat-trick for the United States in a friendly against Paraguay in Cincinnati.
November 2021: Morgan left off USWNT roster for friendlies
In November 2021, USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski opted to leave Alex Morgan off of his 22-player roster for two abroad friendlies vs Australia, citing the need to award roster spots to younger players ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
December 13, 2021: Signing with San Diego Wave FC
On December 13, 2021, San Diego Wave FC announced the signing of Alex Morgan. Orlando Pride received $275,000 in allocation money and Angharad James in return.
June 13, 2022: Morgan recalled to national team
On June 13, 2022, Alex Morgan was recalled to the national team ahead of two friendlies vs Colombia and the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship.
2022: NWSL Golden Boot with San Diego Wave FC
In 2022, Alex Morgan joined San Diego Wave FC, received the NWSL Golden Boot as the league's top scorer.
2022: NWSL Golden Boot Winner
In 2022, Alex Morgan scored a career-high 15 goals for San Diego Wave, winning the NWSL Golden Boot. She also scored four goals in a single game against Gotham FC on May 7.
July 17, 2023: Morgan to be featured in Netflix documentary
On July 17, 2023, it was announced that Alex Morgan will be one of the players featured in an upcoming Netflix documentary about the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team competing in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
2023: Co-Captaincy with Lindsay Horan
In 2023, Alex Morgan co-captained the United States national team with Lindsay Horan.
2023: NWSL Shield with the Wave
In 2023, Alex Morgan led the Wave to an 11–4–7 record and the NWSL Shield as the top team of the regular season standings. She scored seven goals in total during the 2023 season.
2023: Morgan makes fourth World Cup appearance
In 2023, Alex Morgan made her fourth World Cup appearance, starting all three group stage games and the Round of 16 game against Sweden, but did not score any goals.
2023: 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
In 2023, Alex Morgan was cited as a reason to leave veteran players off the roster to give spots to younger players ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
September 5, 2024: Retirement Announcement
On September 5, 2024, Alex Morgan announced her retirement via social media.
September 8, 2024: Last Match
Alex Morgan's last match was on September 8, 2024.
2024: US qualifies for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Alex Morgan helped the team win their third consecutive CONCACAF title and directly qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
2024: Challenge Cup Winning Goal
In 2024, Alex Morgan started the season with the winning goal in the Challenge Cup, scoring in the 88th minute for a 1-0 victory, marking the Wave's first Challenge Cup win.
2024: Morgan called to squad as replacement
In 2024, Alex Morgan was called to the squad as a replacement for Mia Fishel, who tore her ACL during training for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup. She scored a goal in their first game against the Dominican Republic.
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