Alex Morgan’s legacy can be hard to define with one sentence, as her longtime professional career included fighting for equal pay, helping to grow the National Women’s Soccer League, the sport itself, and the wider world of women’s sports.

But one part of her legacy that doesn’t get as much mention is Morgan’s fight to return to playing after giving birth to her firstborn daughter, Charlie, back in 2020. While she benefited from earlier generations of U.S. women’s national team players who paved the way in continuing to play after motherhood, Morgan herself helped secure stronger protections and standards for mothers in the sport.

“One really special moment is when we had five moms on the team at once between myself, Casey [Krueger], Julie [Ertz], Crystal [Dunn] and AD [Franch],” Morgan recalled during her retirement press conference last fall. “That was a really special moment to be able to enjoy with some of my teammates knowing how far we’ve come and the support that we now get as moms and still as professional athletes.” 

While there’s a growing acceptance for mothers returning to elite levels of sport, it wasn’t always that way. And Morgan was very much part of the generation that proved that it was possible to do both, particularly within the NWSL, and changed the way those things look for players as they return. 

The reality of Alex Morgan is that she has been in our lives since the turn of the 2010s, and there is no sign of her leaving any time soon. Women’s soccer first came to the forefront three decades ago and the game in the United States has seen many stars come and go on the field. Few have had the staying power of Morgan.

It has been a year since Morgan walked away as a player. At the time she was struggling to score goals and retirement came with news she was pregnant. It still came as a shock. She has since found time to become a Wave minority owner, and it certainly appears she will be more than a figurehead.

It is remarkable to think about all the ways Morgan has delivered for the game of soccer. It is easy to remember the famous Megan Rapinoe to Abby Wambach equalizer against Brazil in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinals. But buried in that history is how close the United States came to missing that World Cup altogether. The most important goal along the way came from a 21-year-old Alex Morgan, a stoppage time winner in November of 2010 to lift up a wrecked U.S. team in the intercontinental playoff away leg in Padua.

Remember the epic Olympic semifinal at Old Trafford when Canada led three times only to be undone by a resilient U.S. side and some questionable officiating? It was Morgan who beat Erin McLeod with a header in stoppage time of extra time to send the U.S. through a gold medal match they would win over Japan.

When the National Women’s Soccer League kicked off in 2013, Morgan was a clear choice to be one of the faces. The Thorns made her one of three Americans “allocated” by U.S. Soccer. The Thorns immediately became the model club in the league and took down the inaugural championship.

The Thorns were the first of three NWSL clubs to hitch their early fortunes to Alex Morgan. The initial plan called for Orlando to join the league in 2017. But the new owners knew that it was time for Morgan to move on from Portland, and they wanted her as the cornerstone. Her tenure in Orlando was a bit hit-and-miss from a soccer perspective, but her presence in the inaugural Pride team made the club an immediate marquee attraction.

Six years after the Pride, in came the Wave. And they wanted Morgan. And Morgan wanted to live in California again. It was a match made in heaven. In the Wave’s first regular season home match, Morgan scored four goals. By season’s end she had scored 15 for the Golden Boot and the expansion side not only made the playoffs but won its quarterfinal on an extra time goal—by Alex Morgan. In 2023 the Wave won the Shield.

Along the way, Morgan was the pretty, marketable face of the NWSL and U.S. national team where she was rarely out of favor through the 2023 World Cup. She was always smiling, always accommodating. She rarely turned down an interview, even in the worst of times after big losses. Time will tell the story, but early on in her life as an owner, it appears Morgan will still be available, still willing to put her face on the sport she has carried at times.

But perhaps Morgan’s greatest contribution to the NWSL was carved out behind a keyboard. As the league reeled from the bombshell reports of sexual coercion from Paul Riley’s tenure with the Thorns, the usual bevy of statements, denials, and promises were being slung around the Internet. Morgan posted a screenshot of an email then-commissioner Lisa Baird had sent to Mana Shim, informing her that a prior investigation into Riley was closed and would not be revisited.

From that moment on, there were no more denials. The league had not covered up the story, but had actively attempted to keep it buried. Baird’s tenure as commissioner was no longer viable and she soon resigned under pressure. Much of the NWSL’s explosive growth in the four years since can be traced to that moment of reckoning.

It was just Alex Morgan, delivering for the sport as she has always done.

The playoff field has its first confirmed guest, and transfer rumors are swirling over Angel City. Meanwhile, the Sphere of Mediocrity grows ever larger.

Here’s how they shape up after most of Week 18:

Cream of the Crop

x-Kansas City Current (15-2-1, 46 pts; vs Courage, 2-0):  Temwa Chawinga did not score against the North Carolina Courage, but neither did the Courage. That leaves Chawinga with 11 goals while the Current have conceded only 10. Kayla Sharples continues to stay in the discussion for Defender of the Year, and even as it has taken Ally Sentnor some time to fully integrate into the attack, the defense has become a well-oiled machine, and the win over the Courage made the Current the first team to secure an official invite to the 2025 playoffs. The only bad news is that Esther Gonzalez scored for Gotham to edge ahead of Chawinga in the Golden Boot race.

The Most Valuable Player debates in the National Women’s Soccer League can often be contentious, with much debate over what should quantify a most valuable player. Could continue to perform without that player? When they do, does that hurt said player’s chances? For lesser teams, does an MVP need to go above and beyond to put themselves in the conversation?

That a team could perform well without a certain player doesn’t mean that player isn’t valuable, of course. Maybe that team has a great coach, or had a GM that build a great roster. Regardless, whether or not a team is good—and could do well without them—shouldn’t discount a player’s chances at MVP. Oftentimes, a player is great because of the teammates they have around

Some familiar names on this list have continued to stand out, while others have found themselves on our list for the first time. In the first year without the NWSL draft, one thing is clear: these rookies have come to play, and are contributing in big ways to their clubs.

Riley Tiernan – Angel City FC

Back when we did our first edition of standout rookies, Tiernan was firmly on the list with three goals and an assist through six matches. Now 13 games in, Tiernan has cemented herself not only as one of Angel City’s best players but also one of the top scorers in the league with seven goals to lead ACFC. Tiernan is not only firmly in the conversation for Rookie of the Year – and may very well be the frontrunner – but has also put herself in position to potentially win the Golden Boot, being in fourth place and just three goals behind current leader Esther González.

Her +4.4 xG leads the league, and she’s converting her shots on target. In total, she ranks in the top 10 in 11 major offensive stat categories, according to FBRef, and has been one of the league’s top-producing offensive players. After being named the May Rookie of the Month – marking back-to-back Rookie of the Month nods – and to the NWSL Team of the Month, she received a call-up to the U-23 U.S. women’s national team camp in June, and her two appearances were her first of any kind within the USWNT system. 

Trinity Armstrong – San Diego Wave FC

There were questions about Naomi Girma’s departure on what San Diego’s backline would look like in her absence. Trinity Armstrong has provided that answer. Back in early June, The Equalizer’s Sebastian Bush identified Armstrong as one of three NWSL standouts flying under the radar. Defensively, Armstrong’s abilities have continued to impress. And at just 17 years old, that makes her rookie performances even more eye-popping. She’s been a key part of San Diego’s surge into third place in the standings, allowing just 16 goals on the season. Armstrong currently holds an 88.1% pass completion rate, holding above 90% completion in each of San Diego’s last three games. 

Named as part of the league’s Best XI in May, she was the youngest player in NWSL history to be named to a team of the month. She had a goal and two assists on top of her defensive play, with her first career goal coming at a critical moment to hand the Wave a 2-1 victory over Bay FC. She’s the youngest player in league history to have a stoppage-time game-winner. While Tiernan is cementing herself in the conversation for Rookie of the Year, Armstrong is right there with her. 

While she’s only reached the U-17 squad, it’s likely that if Armstrong’s play continues, we’ll soon get to see Armstrong and Naomi Girma play together on the USWNT’s backline, which should be an enticing prospect for national team fans everywhere.

Taylor Huff – Bay FC

Taylor Huff has started in each of her 13 matches played for Bay FC, and has made an immediate impact for the Bay in its second season in the league and earned three call-ups to the USWNT U-23 team so far this year. Her passing abilities are among the best in the league, with Huff ranking fourth overall in passes into the penalty area. She’s also fifth in the league in total crosses with 58 and leads Bay. 

Huff leads all Bay midfielders in pass completion, ahead of players like Kiki Pickett, having completed 311 of her 461 passes. Her 38-shot creating actions rank first on Bay FC, and she’s also good at drawing penalties, making her a dangerous player to take your eyes off. 

Lilly Reale – Gotham FC

Lilly Reale’s play earned her her first-ever senior national team call-up in July, and her international debut to go along with it in a 4-0 win over Ireland. Named to the Best XI of the Month in April, Reale has one goal and one assist, having started in 11 of 12 matches for Gotham FC. She also played a full 90 in both of Gotham’s Concacaf W Champions Cup matches, gaining valuable minutes in the final that the team won. 

A shift from central to left back has allowed Reale’s talents to shine through and has helped the team’s backline allow just 13 goals – tied for fourth-lowest in the league alongside Seattle. 

Jayden Perry – Portland Thorns

Rookie center backs have come to play this season. While her goals have come off of penalties, the ability to score goals as a center back isn’t something you come by every day. And Perry not only has been doing that for Portland, she’s become a staple of the Thorns’ defense as a rookie. With a proven ability to adapt within games, she’s established herself not only as one of the best rookie defenders, but also one of the best across the league.

Not only does Perry know where to position herself in the box to help with clearances, she also holds a calmness under pressure that would make you think she’s a seasoned veteran – not a 22-year-old rookie. She’s been able to find her teammates and break through the first line of pressure, while also pressing on the dribble – that Perry can do both well is huge for a Portland team that aims to possess and break teams down on the ball. Plus, she’s been able to contribute offensively, with her three goals and one assist tied for the second-most points on the team behind fellow rookie Reilyn Turner, and Sam Coffey. Those three goals may be off of penalty kicks, but they also rank her first in the league for penalty kicks made, and it’s not like a penalty kick is always a guarantee.

Let’s take a look at what some underlying data say about the sustainability of the Wave’s surprise success.

Points on the board

In 2024, San Diego managed just two wins against teams in the top half of the table (Portland Thorns and Bay FC). In 2025, it’s not looking a whole lot better: they’ve collected just one win from five matches against current top-half teams.

The NWSL is not a league devoid of superstars. Performances from Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Debinha, and more have set the league on fire in 2025, but what about the players not commanding the headlines? Using advanced metrics and underlying numbers as a guide, let’s take a look at the breakout players and storylines flying under the radar this season. 

All data from American Soccer Analysis unless otherwise noted.

Trinity Armstrong (CB, San Diego Wave)

Trinity Armstrong has started and played 90 minutes in seven straight matches for the San Diego Wave. In that time, the Wave have lost once, conceded just six goals (in comparison to seven in the preceding four games), and moved from 9th to 4th in the NWSL standings. Armstrong has been instrumental in that turnaround, providing exceptional attacking output while maintaining a strong defensive presence; she’s quietly become one of, if not the best, dual-threat centerbacks in the league this season. Oh, and by the way, she’s a 17-year-old rookie. 

“I want this club to be known for being extremely successful,” Morgan, who captained the team to two trophies, the 2023 Shield and 2024 Challenge Cup, said. “I want players to see this club as a place that they seek out and want to play (at). I want the fans to look at this as an exciting environment, and an organization and a team they want to get behind and stay behind. I want this club to be a reflection of this community that we live in and represent.”

Morgan’s professional career included stops in Western New York, Portland, and Orlando, plus a stint in Europe. She made San Diego her final stop when the Pride traded her ahead of the Wave’s inaugural season. A California native, she has laid down roots in San Diego and says she intends to raise her kids in the area.

“Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,” Wave FC controlling owner Lauren Leitchman said. “She used her platform to lead, to advocate, and to build something meaningful in San Diego. Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building.”

Much of Morgan’s career was spent in the spotlight for her on-field accolades. Among them was a key goal in Italy that was pivotal in the United States qualifying for the 2011 World Cup. In 2012, her goal at fabled Old Trafford lifted in the U.S. over Canada and into the Olympic gold medal match, which they won over Japan. Twice she was part of a domestic champion, the 2011 Western New York Flash in WPS and 2013 Thorns in NWSL’s maiden season.

But while Morgan let chippier personalities do more of the talking, she was always working behind the scenes for the betterment of the sport. That was never more evident than the fall of 2021 when she published an email response from then-NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird, telling Mana Shim there would be no further investigation of Paul Riley. That email ultimately led to Baird losing her job and an era of cultural reform for the league.

“The mission stays the same in continuing to uplift women and this team and the NWSL,” Morgan said.

San Diego Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall didn’t get a chance to explain himself after the squad’s 1-1 draw against Angel City over the weekend.

The Wave and Angel City PR staffs kept the postgame press conferences on a tight timeline, leaving Eidevall the time to answer only three questions, none of which were about the nuts and bolts of the game itself.

That’s a shame, because the new Wave gaffer threw some interesting things out onto the BMO Stadium pitch that sunny afternoon.