Alex Morgan doesn’t like the word retirement. “I’ve been saying ‘post-playing career,’” she said, “because retirement makes it sound like I’m old. It’s definitely more of a transition.”
Morgan, 35, announced her retirement in September, along with the news that she’s pregnant with her second child. In her 15-year career, Morgan was prolific on the pitch, scoring 123 goals for the U.S. Women’s National Team (fifth-most all-time) and winning two World Cups, an Olympic gold medal, four Concacaf Player of the Year awards, and many more accolades along the way.
Perhaps more importantly, her career spanned a period of meteoric growth in women’s sports that saw breakthroughs in gender equality, with Morgan at the fore of some of the most crucial efforts. In 2016, she was part of a group of USWNT players who filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over inequality in pay and treatment in U.S. women’s soccer. In 2022, the results of that filing required men and women to be paid an equal rate for all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup. She also fought for anti-harassment policies in the National Women’s Soccer League, helping transform team-player relations for a league that eventually grew to set valuation and attendance records in 2024.
Morgan recently talked to Fast Company about her retirement—what it looks like for her, how she’s navigated the process, and how she’s continuing to support current and future generations of female athletes, on and off the pitch.
Fast Company: It’s been nearly four months since you announced your retirement. What has life been like, and what does “retirement” look like for you?
Alex Morgan: For me, it’s been about getting into venture capital—doing a lot more investing and building my personal portfolio. I’ve been doing that quietly for the last four or five years. I have about 15 companies that I’ve invested in spanning sports, health tech, and consumer goods. Now, I have my own fund alongside my husband, which has been really exciting, and it’s something that I’ve been able to dedicate a lot more time to.
FAST COMPANY: You mentioned you were investing in sports. As an investor, where do you see the most opportunity right now?
