Alex Morgan Blasts Incompetent System That Left Her Lonely Post-Pregnancy
Just over a year ago, Alex Morgan announced her retirement, but the US legend remains a role model in the world of soccer.
Recently, Morgan spoke to the outlet Spread the Jelly and revealed what post-pregnancy was like for her, highlighting how inefficient the current system is for players who are mothers.
"My daughter was only four months old, and I was playing while away from her dad, my husband, for months at a time," Morgan said. "I went to the Olympics in Tokyo a year after giving birth. I couldn't bring her with me; none of our family could come either, since no fans were allowed. I was away from her for more than 30 days."
The former San Diego Wave player directly pointed to the country she lives in, arguing that for such an advanced place, there aren't enough resources and ways for athletes to fulfill their dreams while managing their personal lives, in her case, the challenge of being a mom.
"The whole experience was jarring, honestly. You spend your life thinking you live in such an advanced country, with resources and opportunities to help people go after their dreams, but moms face so many barriers that make it harder to do both."
Alex Morgan Admits Getting No Support Post‑Pregnancy
Morgan revealed that there wasn't even a pathway for a childcare provider to join her while she fulfilled her professional commitments, explaining that she had to organize everything on her own.
"There were a lot of logistics I had to figure out on my own. There wasn't even a pathway for a childcare provider to join me on the road," she said. "Who was going to watch my daughter when I was playing games? At training? In meetings? In what way was the team going to support me?"
The USWNT legend concluded the topic by acknowledging that if she hadn't gone through those situations, she might not have fully understood what athlete moms have to go through.
"Having my daughter opened my eyes to those barriers. I became determined to advocate both for myself and for future working moms in sports, too. Sometimes, if you don't go through it yourself, you don't really understand. I wanted to help my teammates without kids understand why we all needed to advocate-for me, for other moms on the team, for future moms."
Morgan retired after conquering 17 titles with the United States, including two World Cups. To this day, she remains a role model for young soccer players and athletes in general.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Soccer section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.