Alex Morgan says goodbye in San Diego to crowd of 26,500 after an illustrious 15-year career

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fighting tears, Alex Morgan waved to the crowd and walked off the field for the last time on Sunday as she capped an impactful 15-year career.

Despite the nearly 100-degree heat, a crowd of 26,516 filled San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium for Morgan’s farewell match. The two-time Women’s World Cup winner announced on Thursday that she was pregnant with her second child and retiring from the game.

She started and wore the captain’s armband for the San Diego Wave in her final match, playing for the first 13 minutes against the North Carolina Courage before subbing out of the game to an ovation.

“I did everything I ever wanted to do and more. With this decision, I feel so at peace because I am ready to start my family and I am ready to hang up the boots and allow the next generation to flourish and just relish in the spotlight," she said afterward. "It's a good feeling.”

It was her 63rd appearance for the Wave, commemorated by a No. 63 jersey given to Morgan in a pregame ceremony. Overall, it was her 150th career appearance in National Women’s Soccer League play.

Before the match, the video scoreboard showed snippets of Morgan’s retirement video, along with highlights from her career. Her 4-year-old daughter, Charlie, accompanied her on the field. She had more than 95 family members and friends at the game.

The Wave’s starters posed for a photo imitating Morgan’s iconic ‘tea sipping’ celebration, an homage to her celebration of her go-ahead goal to beat England in the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup in France.

Morgan’s U.S. national team career was full of accomplishments, including World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, and an Olympic gold medal in 2012 in London. Morgan played for the NWSL champion Portland Thorns in the league’s first year and helped the Wave win the Shield in 2023.

Morgan played in 224 matches for the U.S. national team, with 123 goals (fifth on the career list) and 53 assists (ninth). She was named the U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2012 and 2018.

When she subbed off, she fought back tears as she removed her cleats at midfield. During the substitution, a tifo in the supporter’s section read “For Country, Club, Community."

Among the fans was San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove, who went to the game straight from his start against the San Francisco Giants.

“Twelve thousand tickets were sold in one day when she announced that this was going to be her last game” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said. “That’s the power of Alex Morgan.”

The North Carolina Courage ultimately won the game, 4-1. Morgan attempted a penalty but it was stopped by Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy.

But the night was all about celebrating a career.

Wave coach Landon Donovan said his daughter asked him to help her make a sign for Morgan's last game.

“That stuff is immeasurable because she’s now made my daughter, who didn’t previously watch sports in general, fall in love with a sport, and women’s sports" Donovan said. “That’s what Alex has meant to the game and the sport. And it’s sad to see her go. Honestly, I don’t think there’ll ever be another one like her.”

Wave fan Amber Brunner attended the match with her family, saying “My girls fell in love with soccer because of her.”

Off the pitch, Morgan advanced women’s soccer in her fight for equal pay with the men's national team. The U.S. women filed a lawsuit in 2019 that led to a historic agreement in 2022 that equitably paid the men and women.

She also paved the way for reforms in the NWSL, calling for the adoption of an anti-harassment policy after a coach misconduct scandal rocked the league in 2021.

A young fan at the game held a sign that said “Thank you Alex for all of your hard work for women’s sports.”

Morgan said she's looking forward to cheering on the Wave, the U.S. national team and continuing her advocacy for the players.

“The next Alex Morgan is not only out there in the stands, because I am sure that there are a few of those, but they’re there on that field every single weekend," she said. "It's just incredible what we’ve been able to do here in the U.S. to really give soccer the best chance for people to buy in as much as we’ve bought in.”

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San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan waves after an NWSL soccer game against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Sept. 8 2024, in San Diego. (Sandy Huffaker/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan reacts after an NWSL soccer game against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Sept. 8 2024, in San Diego. (Sandy Huffaker/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan speaks after an NWSL soccer game against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Sept. 8 2024, in San Diego. (Sandy Huffaker/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan, right, battles for the ball with North Carolina Courages' Malia Berkely during an NWSL soccer on Sunday, Sept. 8 2024, in San Diego. (Sandy Huffaker/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan waves before the start of an NWSL soccer game against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Sept. 8 2024, in San Diego. (Sandy Huffaker/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan takes to the field before an NWSL soccer game against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. (AP Photo/Eddie Elston)

San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan waves before the start of an NWSL soccer game against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Sept. 8 2024, in San Diego. (Sandy Huffaker/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday launched his family's cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, with an interview on the X social media platform in which he also gave his first public comments on the apparent assassination attempt against him a day earlier.

Trump did not discuss specifics about World Liberty Financial or how it would work, pivoting from questions about cryptocurrency to talking about artificial intelligence or other topics. Instead, he recounted his experience Sunday, saying he and a friend playing golf “heard shots being fired in the air, and I guess probably four or five.”

“I would have loved to have sank that last putt,” Trump said. He credited the Secret Service agent who spotted the barrel of a rifle and began firing toward it as well as law enforcement and a civilian who he said helped track down the suspect.

World Liberty Financial is expected to be a borrowing and lending service used to trade cryptocurrencies, which are forms of digital money that can be traded over the internet without relying on the global banking system. Exchanges often charge fees for withdrawals of Bitcoin and other currencies.

Other speakers after Trump, including his eldest son, Don Jr., talked about embracing cryptocurrency as an alternative to what they allege is a banking system tilted against conservatives.

Experts have said a presidential candidate launching a business venture in the midst of a campaign could create ethical conflicts.

“Taking a pro-crypto stance is not necessarily troubling; the troubling aspect is doing it while starting a way to personally benefit from it,” Jordan Libowitz, a spokesperson for the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said earlier this month.

During his time in the White House, Trump said he was “not a fan” of cryptocurrency and tweeted in 2019, “Unregulated Crypto Assets can facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity." However, during this election cycle, he has reversed himself and taken on a favorable view of cryptocurrencies.

He announced in May that his campaign would begin accepting donations in cryptocurrency as part of an effort to build what it calls a “crypto army” leading up to Election Day. He attended a bitcoin conference in Nashville this year, promising to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet” and create a bitcoin “strategic reserve” using the currency that the government currently holds.

Hilary Allen, a law professor at American University who has done research on cryptocurrencies, said she was skeptical of Trump's change of heart on crypto.

“I think it’s fair to say that that reversal has been motivated in part by financial interests,” she said.

Crypto enthusiasts welcomed the shift, viewing the launch as a positive sign for investors if Trump retakes the White House.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has not offered policy proposals on how it would regulate digital assets like cryptocurrencies.

In an effort to appeal to crypto investors, a group of Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, participated in an online “Crypto 4 Harris” event in August.

Neither Harris nor members of her campaign staff attended the event.

Gomez Licon contributed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump waves as he boards a plane at Harry Reid International Airport after a campaign trip, Saturday, Sept.14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)