CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

ALEX MORGAN EMERGES

In March of 2010, a standout soccer star at the University of California, Berkeley — better known as Cal — stepped onto the field to play for the US Women’s National Team for the first time. Alex Morgan was known within the soccer world, but lesser recognized by the broader sporting public. Over the next two years, with standout performances in the 2011 World Cup and 2012 Olympics, that would change. Morgan’s knack for scoring big goals and her willingness to flash a big smile, thrust her into the pop culture spotlight where she would stay for years to come. When she announced her retirement in 2024, Morgan’s legacy was well established. Her influence on the game, outsized.

Steph Yang has covered Alex Morgan both as a player for the USWNT and her NWSL clubs. She joined Founding Futbol to discuss Morgan’s impact on the field and off. Yang talked about Morgan’s propensity for big moments, her