Sign in Subscribe
Morgan, Alex

Alex Morgan: The Most Influential Female Soccer Player of All Time?

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Alex Morgan's retirement announcement has sparked a heated debate about who is the greatest female soccer player of all time. While Marta and Megan Rapinoe are among the most decorated players, Morgan's record on the biggest stages, her marketability, and her impact off the pitch make a strong case for her being the most influential female soccer player of all time. With six FIFA player awards to her name, Marta is undoubtedly an exceptional player, but Morgan's charisma and elegance on the pitch have made her a household name. From her children's fiction books to her starring role in a film about herself, Morgan has transcended her sport like few others.

Key Takeaways:

  • Alex Morgan has announced her retirement from professional football after a 14-year career with the US team.
  • Morgan is one of 32 women to have won the World Cup twice (2015 and 2019), and her record on the biggest stage cannot be beaten.
  • She is the first female footballer to agree to donate at least 1% of her salary to the Common Goal project, which supports soccer-related charities.
  • Morgan has been named the most beautiful vegan of the year in 2019 by animal rights group PETA and was twice among Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of the year.
  • She has written children's fiction books and starred in a film about herself (Alex and Me), appearing on magazine covers and in TV adverts.
  • Morgan was instrumental in the US women's team's push for equal pay with the men, alongside Megan Rapinoe, and was a key figure in a six-year lawsuit against US Soccer.
  • The team won a $24 million settlement in 2022, with some of the money going to support girls at the start of their soccer careers.
  • US captain Lindsey Horan has praised Morgan's impact on the game: "You made the game better for so many little ones looking up to you and what an incredible career on top of it."

Statistics:

  • Alex Morgan has won 123 international goals, placing her fifth on the US all-time scorer's list, well ahead of Megan Rapinoe's 63.
  • Marta has won six FIFA player awards, but Morgan's marketability and influence off the pitch have made her a household name.
  • The US women's team has won two World Cup titles (2015 and 2019), with Morgan winning a runners-up medal in 2011.
  • Morgan has also won four regional titles, an Olympic gold medal in 2012, and a French league, cup, and Champions League treble with Lyon in 2017.
  • The US women's team won a $24 million settlement in 2022, with some of the money going to support girls at the start of their soccer careers.

Sources:

  • [Morgan's retirement announcement via social media](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cib0p0Vv1Ml/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)
  • [Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of the year](https://time.com/100-most-influential-people/)
  • [PETA's most beautiful vegan of the year](https://www.peta.org/blogs/feature/new-villains-discover-a-faux-meat-world)
  • [Common Goal project](https://common-goal.org/)
  • [US women's team's equal pay lawsuit](https://www.espn.com/womens-soccer/story/_/id/31055956/us-women-soccer-legions-support-equal-pay-lawsuit/http)
  • [Alex Morgan's profile](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Morgan)
  • [Megan Rapinoe's profile](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Rapinoe)

Read more