Alex Morgan is one of the most accomplished women’s soccer stars in U.S. history and has played all over the world. Now she’s hoping to have found a home in San Diego as a member of the National Women’s Soccer League’s newest club, the San Diego Wave.
Morgan, who grew up in San Dimas, California, was traded to the Wave from the Orlando Pride on Monday, though the official announcement won’t come for a few days due to league trade windows.
Let’s Go😎🌊 https://t.co/01FpZc1xOQ
— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) December 13, 2021
The Wave joins fellow expansion club Angel City FC in Los Angeles in bringing the league to 12 teams. Former Manchester United coach Casey Stoney will lead San Diego in its inaugural year with Morgan as their star player.
“I think something I’m really excited about is that I’ve made a long-term commitment to this club,” she told The Associated Press. “I see myself being in San Diego through my playing career. I see my family settling down in San Diego.”
The Wave will be Morgan’s third club since joining the NWSL in its first season in 2013. After three seasons with the Portland Thorns, she joined the Orlando Pride when they were expanded into the league. She’s also spent time in Europe, playing for Lyon in France and Tottenham Hotspur in England.
Morgan came to the attention of the soccer world as a member of the U.S. women’s teams that won back-to-back World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. She has 115 career goals in 190 matches for the U.S.
It’s some welcome positive news for the NWSL, which has been mired in multiple scandals involving abusive coaches and allegations of an “old boy’s club” amongst owners.
The reaction to Morgan’s trade, which will be announced officially soon, was positive across the social media soccer landscape, though there was some confusion about how it works as the NWSL trade window is closed at the moment.
The trade is planned for an announcement today, per @AnnieMPeterson. Technically, trade window does not open again until after the #NWSL expansion draft. https://t.co/tAr0sa8UQw
— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) December 13, 2021
Official. What a huge get for the 🌊. https://t.co/7cnehcDkrd
— Darnay Tripp (@DarnayTripp) December 13, 2021
Had a feeling this was coming https://t.co/xu77ioWG9C
— Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) December 13, 2021
Trade window is still closed, the paperwork hasn’t been signed yet, but they’re already starting a media campaign for Alex Morgan to San Diego. Didn’t another club do less than that and get fined all the way to WeHo? 🤔 https://t.co/VXk6F6jwwL
— Lis Schendel Misses the Pac-12 (@lis_ashlee) December 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/ScoutRipley/status/1470464636575268865
The 2022 National Women’s Soccer League expansion draft takes place Thursday, December 16, and Morgan will find out who many of her new teammates are then.
[SDUT]
