Alex Morgan facts for kids
Morgan with United States in 2019
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | July 2, 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | San Dimas, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Striker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| club soccer | AYSO Region 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | West Coast FC | 2 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | California Storm | 3 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Pali Blues | 3 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Western New York Flash | 13 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Seattle Sounders Women | 3 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Portland Thorns | 36 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Orlando Pride | 15 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Lyon | 8 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2020 | Orlando Pride | 38 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Orlando Pride | 13 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | San Diego Wave | 48 | (22) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | United States U20 | 10 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2024 | United States | 224 | (123) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Alexandra Morgan Carrasco (born July 2, 1989), known as Alex Morgan, is a famous American former professional soccer player. She played as a striker for San Diego Wave FC and the U.S. national team. She was also a captain for both teams.
Alex Morgan was the youngest player on the national team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She helped the U.S. win two FIFA Women's World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. She also won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 and a bronze medal in 2020.
Off the field, Morgan wrote a book series for young readers called The Kicks. She also appeared in a movie called Alex & Me. In 2015, Time magazine named her the top-paid American women's soccer player. She was also one of the first women's soccer players on the cover of the FIFA video game.
On September 5, 2024, Alex Morgan announced she was retiring from soccer. Her last game was on September 8, 2024.
Contents
Early Life and College Soccer
Alex Morgan was born in San Dimas, California. She grew up in Diamond Bar with her two older sisters. She played many sports as a kid and started playing soccer early with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). Her dad was one of her first coaches.
She didn't start playing club soccer until she was 14. She joined Cypress Elite and won a championship with them. Alex went to Diamond Bar High School, where she was known for her speed. She also played for Olympic Development Program (ODP) teams, which helped her become a better player.
When she was 17, Alex was called to the United States women's national under-20 soccer team. She had a knee injury in 2006, which kept her from playing for a while.
Playing for the California Golden Bears (2007–2010)
From 2007 to 2010, Alex Morgan played college soccer for the California Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley. She was the top scorer for her team in her first year.
Even with time off for national team duties, Morgan led her team in scoring. She helped them reach the NCAA Tournament four years in a row. She was also a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, a top award in college soccer.
Alex finished her college career as one of the top scorers for Cal. She graduated early with a degree in Political Economy.
Professional Club Career
Western New York Flash (2011)
On January 14, 2011, Alex Morgan was the very first player chosen in the 2011 WPS Draft. She was picked by the Western New York Flash. This made her the first player from Cal to be drafted in the first round of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).
She scored her first goal for the Flash in May 2011. During the 2011 season, she played in 14 games and scored four goals. Her team won the league championship that year.
Seattle Sounders Women (2012)
After the WPS league stopped playing, Morgan joined her national teammates on the Seattle Sounders Women for the 2012 season. She played in three games and scored two goals. Many fans came to watch the Sounders Women play because of the national team players.
Portland Thorns FC (2013–2015)
On January 11, 2013, Alex Morgan joined Portland Thorns FC for the first season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She scored her first goal for the Thorns in front of a huge crowd of over 16,000 fans.
She finished the 2013 season as one of the team's top scorers with eight goals and five assists. The Thorns won the league's first-ever championship title in August 2013. Morgan helped set up the second goal in the final game.
In 2014, she scored six goals in 15 games. The Thorns made it to the playoffs again but lost in the semi-finals. In 2015, she played in only four games for the Thorns because she was busy with the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Orlando Pride (2016)
In October 2015, Alex Morgan was traded to the new team, Orlando Pride. She scored four goals in 15 games for the Pride in 2016.
Lyon (2017)
In January 2017, Morgan signed with the French team Lyon for six months. She made her debut in January and helped her team win the league championship for the ninth time in a row. She scored five goals in eight games.
Morgan also helped Lyon win the French Cup and the UEFA Women's Champions League. This meant Lyon won three major titles that season.
Return to Orlando (2017–2021)
After playing for Lyon, Morgan returned to Orlando Pride in June 2017. She scored nine goals in 14 games for Orlando that year. She was named to the league's Second XI team.
In 2018, Morgan played 19 games for the Pride and scored five goals. In 2019, she played fewer games due to the World Cup and an injury. She also missed the 2020 season because she was pregnant.
Morgan returned to Orlando in 2021. She scored in each of the first four games of the regular season, which was a first in league history.
Tottenham Hotspur (2020)
In September 2020, Morgan signed with the English team Tottenham Hotspur. She made her debut in November 2020. She scored her first goal for the club in December, helping Spurs win their first league game of the season. She scored another goal the next week before returning to the U.S.
San Diego Wave FC (2022–2024)
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On December 13, 2021, Alex Morgan joined the new team San Diego Wave FC. In the 2022 season, she scored a career-high 15 goals in 17 games. She won the NWSL Golden Boot as the league's top scorer. She even scored all four goals in a single game against Gotham FC.
San Diego became the first new team to make the playoffs that year. In 2023, Morgan helped the Wave win the NWSL Shield, which means they were the best team in the regular season. She scored seven goals that season.
Morgan started her 2024 season by scoring the winning goal in the 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup, helping the Wave win this cup for the first time.
On September 5, 2024, Morgan announced her retirement from soccer. Her last game was on September 8, 2024, against the North Carolina Courage. She was honored before the match and played as captain for 13 minutes, matching her jersey number.
International Career
Alex Morgan first played for the U.S. under-20 team in April 2008. She scored her first international goal against Cuba. She helped the U-20 team win the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile, scoring four goals. Her winning goal in the final was voted the best goal of the tournament.
She joined the senior national team in March 2010. She scored her first goal for the senior team in October 2010 against China. A month later, she scored a very important goal against Italy, helping the U.S. qualify for the World Cup.
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup
Morgan was the youngest player on the U.S. team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored her first World Cup goal in the semi-final against France, helping the U.S. win 3–1. In the final against Japan, she scored the first goal and assisted another. She was the first player to get a goal and an assist in a World Cup final. The U.S. team finished second in the tournament.
2012 London Olympics
Morgan became a regular starter for the U.S. team in 2012. She scored 14 goals in 12 games early that year. In March 2012, she scored her first hat-trick (three goals in one game) against Sweden.
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At the 2012 London Olympics, Morgan scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Canada in extra time. This goal, scored in the 123rd minute, was the latest goal ever by a U.S. women's team player. She finished the tournament with three goals and four assists.
In 2012, Morgan led the U.S. team in goals (28) and assists (21). She and Mia Hamm are the only U.S. women to have 20 goals and 20 assists in the same year. For her amazing performance, she was named the 2012 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
Morgan had a knee injury before the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She made her first start in the World Cup against Nigeria. She scored one goal in the knockout stage against Colombia. She also helped the team get penalties in games against Colombia and Germany.
The U.S. team won its third FIFA Women's World Cup title by beating Japan 5–2 in the final. Morgan played in all seven World Cup games.
2016 Rio Olympics
At the 2016 SheBelieves Cup, Morgan won the Golden Boot (top scorer) and the MVP award. She scored eight goals in her first nine games of 2016.
She played her 100th game for the U.S. team in January 2016, scoring a goal and an assist. In February, she scored the fastest goal in U.S. women's national team history, just 12 seconds into a game. She also scored her third career hat-trick. The U.S. team qualified for the Rio Olympics and won the qualifying tournament.
Morgan was on the U.S. team for the Rio Olympics. She scored a goal in the opening match against New Zealand. The U.S. team was knocked out in the quarter-finals by Sweden. Morgan scored the tying goal in that game but missed her penalty in the shootout.
2017–2018 Highlights
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In 2017, Morgan scored seven goals for the national team. In 2018, she won the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year award. She scored 18 goals in 19 games that year, including her fourth career hat-trick against Japan. She also scored seven goals at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship, winning the Golden Boot. She helped the team qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
2019 FIFA World Cup
Before the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, Morgan scored her 100th international goal in April 2019. In the first group game against Thailand, she scored five goals, matching a World Cup record. She also had three assists in that game, and the team won 13–0, a new World Cup record for biggest win.
On her birthday, July 2, 2019, Morgan scored a goal in a 2–1 win over England, helping the U.S. reach the final. In the final against the Netherlands, Morgan helped win a penalty that led to the first goal. The United States won 2–0. Morgan won the Silver Boot award as the second-highest scorer in the tournament.
2020 Tokyo Olympics
Morgan missed some games in 2020 due to her pregnancy. She returned to the national team in November 2020. In June 2021, she was named to the U.S. team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She played in all six games, and the team won the bronze medal. Morgan scored a goal against New Zealand and made a penalty kick in the shootout against the Netherlands. In September 2021, she scored her sixth career international hat-trick against Paraguay.
2022 and 2023 World Cup
In 2022, Morgan was called back to the national team. She helped the team win their third straight CONCACAF title and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. She scored the winning goal in the final against Canada. She also helped the U.S. qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
Morgan played in her fourth World Cup in 2023. She started all the games but did not score any goals. The U.S. team lost in a penalty shootout to Sweden, which was their earliest exit from the World Cup.
2024 Retirement
In 2024, Morgan was called to the squad for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup as a replacement. She scored a goal against the Dominican Republic.
Morgan was not chosen for the 2024 Summer Olympics team. On September 5, 2024, she announced her retirement from soccer. She said she felt it was the right time to end her amazing career.
Other Work
Books and TV Series
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In 2012, Alex Morgan signed a deal to write a four-book series for young readers called The Kicks. The books are about four young girls who play soccer. Morgan wanted her books to "inspire young girls" and share her love for soccer. The first book, Saving The Team, became a The New York Times Best Seller. Later, a live-action TV series based on the books, also called The Kicks, was made by Amazon Prime.
Endorsements and Charity
Morgan has worked with many big companies like Nike, Panasonic, and Coca-Cola. Time magazine said she was the highest-paid American women's soccer player in 2015, mostly because of these deals.
In 2016, Morgan became a UNICEF Kid Power Champion. She worked with UNICEF to help fight global malnutrition and teach kids about helping others.
In 2017, Morgan and her husband, Servando, traveled to Tanzania as Sports Envoys for the U.S. State Department. They held soccer clinics and visited schools to promote equality through sports.
In September 2017, Morgan and teammate Megan Rapinoe were the first two female players in the U.S. to join the Common Goal campaign. This program asks players to donate 1% of their salary to soccer-related charities.
Personal Life
Alex Morgan married fellow soccer player Servando Carrasco on New Year's Eve 2014. They met while playing soccer at UC Berkeley. In October 2019, they announced they were expecting a baby girl, who was born in May 2020. In September 2024, Morgan announced she was pregnant with her second child.
Her teammates gave her the nickname "Baby Horse" when she was younger because of her speed and running style. In 2016, she received the key to her hometown, Diamond Bar.
Alex Morgan is vegan. In 2019, PETA named her one of the Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities.
Career Statistics
College
| College team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Golden Bears | 2007 | 17 | 8 |
| 2008 | 17 | 9 | |
| 2009 | 21 | 14 | |
| 2010 | 12 | 14 | |
| Total | 67 | 45 | |
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | Ref. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Regular season | Play-offs | ||||||||||||
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||||
| West Coast FC | 2008 | WPSL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 2 | ||||
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | — | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 2 | — | |||||
| California Storm | 2010 | WPSL | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 5 | ||||
| Pali Blues | 2010 | USL W-League | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Western New York Flash | 2011 | WPS | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 4 | ||||
| Seattle Sounders | 2012 | USL W-League | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 2 | ||||
| Portland Thorns FC | 2013 | NWSL | 18 | 8 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 19 | 8 | ||||
| 2014 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 6 | ||||||
| 2015 | 4 | 1 | — | – | – | 4 | 1 | |||||||
| Total | 36 | 15 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 38 | 15 | — | |||||
| Orlando Pride | 2016 | NWSL | 15 | 4 | – | – | – | 15 | 4 | |||||
| 2017 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 9 | ||||||
| 2018 | 19 | 5 | – | – | – | 19 | 5 | |||||||
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | 6 | 0 | |||||||
| 2020 | – | – | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 2021 | 13 | 5 | – | 2 | 0 | – | 15 | 5 | ||||||
| Total | 66 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 69 | 23 | — | ||||
| Lyon | 2016–17 | Division 1 Féminine | 8 | 5 | — | 3 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 12 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2020–21 | FA WSL | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 2 | ||||
| San Diego Wave FC | 2022 | NWSL | 17 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | – | 25 | 20 | |||
| 2023 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 20 | 7 | |||||
| 2024 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 48 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62 | 28 | — | |||
| Career total | 186 | 81 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 215 | 94 | — | |||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2010 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2011 | 19 | 6 | ||
| 2012 | 31 | 28 | ||
| 2013 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 2014 | 7 | 5 | ||
| 2015 | 22 | 7 | ||
| 2016 | 21 | 17 | ||
| 2017 | 14 | 7 | ||
| 2018 | 19 | 18 | ||
| 2019 | 16 | 9 | ||
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | 20 | 8 | ||
| 2022 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 2023 | 15 | 2 | ||
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | ||
| Total | 224 | 123 | ||
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn | Herself | Episode: "The Quad Test" |
| 2015 | The Kicks | Herself | Episode: "Pilot"; also creator |
| 2015 | Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour Live | Herself | Concert film |
| 2018 | Alex & Me | Herself | Direct to video |
| 2019 | Alex Morgan: The Equalizer | Herself | Television miniseries; 4 episodes |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "Girls Like You" (Original, Volume 2 and Vertical Video versions) | Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B | Herself (cameo) |
Honors and Awards
Western New York Flash
- WPS Championship: 2011
Portland Thorns
- NWSL Championship: 2013
Lyon
- Division 1 Féminine: 2016–17
- Coupe de France Féminine: 2016–17
- UEFA Women's Champions League: 2016–17
San Diego Wave
- NWSL Shield: 2023
- NWSL Challenge Cup: 2024
United States U20
- FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup: 2008
- CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship runner-up: 2008
United States
- FIFA Women's World Cup: 2015, 2019
- Olympic Gold Medal: 2012
- Olympic Bronze Medal: 2020
- CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2014, 2018, 2022
- CONCACAF W Gold Cup: 2024
- CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2012, 2016
- SheBelieves Cup: 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023,2024
- Algarve Cup: 2011, 2013, 2015
- Four Nations Tournament: 2011
Individual
- FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Silver Ball: 2008
- FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Bronze Boot: 2008
- FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup All-Star Team: 2008
- ESPY Award Best Female Athlete: 2019
- ESPY Award Best Breakthrough Athlete nominee: 2012
- ESPY Award Best Moment nominee: 2013
- ESPY Award Best Team: 2015, 2019
- Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year, Team Sport: 2012
- U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year: 2012 2018
- FIFA World Player of the Year finalist: 2012
- The Best FIFA Women's Player: 2019 (finalist); 2022 (finalist)
- National Women's Soccer League Second Best XI: 2013, 2017
- CONCACAF Player of the Year: 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018
- USWNT All-Time Best XI: 2013
- SheBelieves Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball: 2016
- FIFA FIFPRO Women's World 11: 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
- CONCACAF Women's Championship Golden Boot: 2018
- IFFHS Women's World Team: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
- IFFHS World's Woman Team of the Decade 2011–2020
- IFFHS CONCACAF Woman Team of the Decade 2011–2020
- FIFA Women's World Cup Silver Boot: 2019
- CONCACAF Women's Championship Golden Ball: 2022
- CONCACAF Women's Championship Best XI: 2022
- NWSL Golden Boot: 2022
- NWSL Best XI: 2022
- 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup: Player of the Final (MVP)
See Also
In Spanish: Alex Morgan para niños
- List of FIFA Women's World Cup winning players
- List of Olympic medalists in soccer
- USWNT All-Time Best XI
- List of soccer players with 100 or more caps
- List of 2012 Summer Olympics medal winners
- List of University of California, Berkeley alumni in sports
- List of 2020 Summer Olympics medal winners
