Alex Morgan USWNT records: Women's soccer star retires among all-time USA greats

Kyle Bonn

Alex Morgan USWNT records: Women's soccer star retires among all-time USA greats image

After announcing her retirement at the end of the 2024 season, Alex Morgan will wrap her career as one of the most iconic and visible U.S. women's soccer players of all time, and there's a good reason why.

At 35 years old at the time of the announcement in early September, Morgan had been a fixture of the U.S. women's national team for 14 years, scoring iconic goals and setting a multitude of records.

Morgan has cemented herself among the all-time greats in the history of the world's most successful national team, earning her place as a leader for the continued growth of the game in the USA. She also has served as a leader off the field, championing the equal-pay fight alongside her teammates.

The Sporting News details Morgan's career accomplishments at an individual and team level, having won significant accomplishments with the U.S. national team and her clubs, as well as scoring iconic goals for her country.

MORE: The full 2023 Women's World Cup match schedule with kick times & updated results

Alex Morgan USA national team, FIFA records

Alex Morgan's most notable all-time individual record came in the 2019 Women's World Cup, when she scored five goals in a single game, leading the U.S. in a 13-0 rout of Thailand in their group stage opener. It is the most goals ever scored in a single Women's World Cup match by one player, tied with another U.S. international, Michelle Akers, who did it against Chinese Taipei in 1991, the first Women's World Cup.

Those five goals also tied Morgan for the most goals ever scored in a single match by any U.S. player in any match, level with eight others: Brandi Chastain, Tiffeny Milbrett, Abby Wambach, Amy Rodriguez, Sydney Leroux, Crystal Dunn, Carli Lloyd and, of course, Akers.

With the U.S. national team, Morgan sits fifth in the all-time goal-scoring chart, ending her career just seven short of Kristine Lilly for fourth, and four more shy of former USWNT teammate Carli Lloyd for third.

She also finishes ninth in most career international caps by a U.S. player, with 224 at the time of her announcement, seven back of eighth-placed Heather O'Reilly and 130 behind all-time leader Kristine Lilly, who has 354. Morgan is also ninth on the all-time assists chart with 53, just two behind O'Reilly and Julie Foudy in joint-seventh, and 94 behind the leader Mia Hamm who racked up an insane 147, 41 more than anyone else.

In 2011, Morgan became the first player to score and assist a goal in a Women's World Cup final, scoring against Japan in the 69th minute and assisting Abby Wambach's extra-time goal in the 104th minute.

MORE: A full breakdown of the USWNT roster for the 2023 Women's World Cup

USWNT all-time top goal scorers

RankNameCapsGoalsYears Active
1Abby Wambach2551842001-2015
2Mia Hamm2761581987-2004
3Carli Lloyd3161342005-2021
4Kristine Lilly3541301987-2010
5Alex Morgan2071232010-Present

Alex Morgan awards, trophies won

Trophies won

USWNT

  • FIFA Women's World Cup (2x): 2015, 2019
  • FIFA U20 Women's World Cup: 2008
  • Olympic gold medal: 2012
  • Olympic bronze medal: 2020
  • CONCACAF W Championship (3x): 2014, 2018, 2022
  • SheBelieves Cup (5x): 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Algarve Cup (3x): 2011, 2013, 2015

Western New York Flash

  • WPS Championship: 2011

Portland Thorns

  • NWSL Championship: 2013

Olympique Lyonnais

  • Division 1 Feminine: 2016/17
  • Coupe de France Feminine: 2016/17
  • UEFA Champions League: 2016/17

Awards & nominations

  • U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year (2x): 2012, 2018
  • FIFA FIFPRO Women's World 11 (5x): 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
  • FIFA The Best Women's Player of the Year* (finalist — 3x): 2012, 2019, 2022
  • CONCACAF Women's Player of the Year (4x): 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • FIFA Women's World Cup Silver Boot: 2019
  • NWSL Golden Boot: 2022
  • NWSL Best XI: 2022
  • USWNT All-Time Best XI: 2013
  • ESPY Award Best Female Athlete: 2019
  • IFFHS Women's World Team of the Year (4x): 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
  • IFFHS Women's World Team of the Decade: 2011-20

* Previously known as Women's FIFA Player of the Year

Alex Morgan notable goals for USA

MORE: Mallory Swanson opens up to The Sporting News about injury that left her out of World Cup

DateCompetitionMatchMinuteComments
Dec. 7, 20082008 U20 Women's World Cup
Final
North Korea 1-2 USA42'Winner in U-20 WC final
Oct. 6, 2010International FriendlyUSA 1-1 China83'First senior USWNT goal
Nov. 20, 2010Women's World Cup Playoff
First Leg
Italy 0-1 USA90+4'USA would win 2-0 on aggregate to secure 2011 Women's World Cup place
Jul. 13, 20112011 Women's World Cup
Semifinal
USA 3-1 France82'USA advance to Women's World Cup final
Jul. 17, 20112011 Women's World Cup
Final
USA 2-2 Japan69'Also assisted Abby Wambach 104' goal (USA would lose final on penalty shootout).
Mar. 7, 20122012 Algarve Cup
Third-place match
USA 4-0 Sweden4', 33', 73'First career USWNT hat-trick
Jul. 25, 20122012 Summer Olympics
Group stage
USA 4-2 France32', 66'Scored equalizer & final goal
Aug. 6, 20122012 Summer Olympics
Semifinal
USA 4-3 Canada123'Latest goal ever by USWNT player
Mar. 13, 20132013 Algarve Cup
Final
Germany 0-2 USA13', 34'Both goals in Algarve Cup final
Jun. 22, 20152015 Women's World Cup
Round of 16
USA 2-0 Colombia53'Game-winning goal
Mar. 6, 20162016 SheBelieves CupUSA 1-0 France90+1'Inaugural SheBelieves Cup, game-winning goal to help USA win title
Aug. 12, 20162016 Summer Olympics
Quarterfinals
USA 1-1 Sweden77'Equalizer to send match to extra-time, USA would fall on penalty shootout
Oct. 17, 2018CONCACAF W Championship
Final
USA 2-0 Canada89'USA's 2nd goal, sealed title
Apr. 4, 2019International FriendlyUSA 5-3 Australia14'Morgan's 100th international goal
Jun. 11, 20192019 Women's World Cup
Group stage
USA 13-0 Thailand12', 53', 74', 81', 87'Five goals in Women's World Cup match, ties all-time record (also 3 assists)
Jul. 2, 20192019 Women's World Cup
Semifinals
USA 2-1 England31'Game-winning goal, first player to score at Women's World Cup on birthday
Jul. 18, 2022CONCACAF W Championship
Final
USA 1-0 Canada78'Game-winning goal to win tournament
Feb. 22, 2023SheBelieves CupUSA 2-1 Brazil45+3'Game-winning goal
Feb. 23, 20242024 CONCACAF W Gold CupUSA 4-0 Argentina19'Final goal of her USWNT career*

* This could potentially change if Morgan appears in a USWNT send-off match and scores.

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.