Alex Morgan is a woman that wears many hats: professional soccer champion, team captain, mother, and philanthropist. She chatted with this journalist about her latest endeavors, which include getting ready for the FIFA World Cup.
Track and field legend Wilma Rudolph once said: “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” Alex Morgan is a woman that embodies this wise quote.
Morgan is a person that knows the level of energy that is needed to win both on and off the field, as well as the importance of nutrition to help her conquer the day and balance the increasing demands of her daily life.
On balancing all of the different roles of mother, competitive athlete, and humanitarian,, she said, “I try not to get too overwhelmed with everything. I feel like a balance in life is really important, and that’s having a good support system with my husband, my family and my teammates,” she said.
“Also, making time for myself is also very important. Having a good self-care and mental wellbeing routine is incredibly important. I try to be present and not think too much about the future, and not stress too much about the World Cup or what is coming up next. I try to just be in the moment,” she elaborated.
Motivations
Regarding her daily motivations as a professional athlete, she said, “Wanting to win on the global stage, and wanting to be a good role model and set a good example for my daughter. Fighting for gender equality has always been important to me.”
“Now, having a daughter, I hope she never has to face the inequalities that I’ve had to both in and out of the sport. That is something that definitely motivates me,” she added.
Preparing for a major tournament such as the FIFA World Cup
On preparing for a major tournament such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, she said, “Going through the preparation of a major tournament, you do all the 99 percent of the work in order to shine during that one percent of the tournament.”
“Everyone sees the one percent; they don’t get to see the 99 percent of the work that you put in. That’s the little details that people don’t see but it’s incredibly important to hold yourself accountable along the way,” she said.
“That’s where you put that 99 percent of the work into, and that’s not without my coaches, my teammates, my family, my husband. It definitely takes a village for sure, and I think everyone’s support system is a little bit different in who plays such an important part, but you can’t do everything on your own,” she acknowledged.
“At the end of the day, I hope it’s our team standing at the top of that podium but if you could see the team behind our team it would be hundreds of people standing on top of the podium,” she added.
Orgain partnership
Morgan has teamed up with Orgain, in an effort to fuel her journey to compete in the world’s largest women’s soccer event. “It is always incredible when two of my passions come together and meet for one,” she said. “My first passion is soccer and the World Cup, and the other passion is my wellness routine and partnering with brands that I align with both in life and in soccer. It’s amazing to be a part of that.”
Orgain is offering an #EnergyFTW sweepstakes in order to encourage people to embrace a day like Morgan for an opportunity to cheer her and her teammates from the sidelines in New Zealand this summer.
“I am also excited that Orgain is offering a fan the opportunity to go to New Zealand to experience the World Cup live. To have a partner like that, especially to be able to support me in my journey and to give a fan the once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch us play at the highest stage is really great,” she said.
“The key to keeping my energy up to tackle whatever the day throws at me is by incorporating convenient and delicious protein-packed options into my daily routine,” Morgan said.
The digital age
On being a professional soccer player in the digital age, Morgan said, “Social media is amazing and it’s also a curse sometimes. I think that social media has really helped women’s soccer in the fact that linear television is not the only way to access sports these days.”
“Social media has been crucial in helping enhance the popularity of women’s soccer over the last 10 years. Just looking back to the 2019 World Cup, everyone around the world was talking about the women’s soccer World Cup and I foresee that happening again,” she predicted.
“Without social media, people wouldn’t have known about the Women’s World Cup, and the numbers wouldn’t have been as huge,” she added.
Career-defining moments
On her career-defining moments, she remarked, “In my soccer-playing career, there have been injuries, and losses have really been a defining factor for me. You get to those places and you realize that there is a choice, you can take the easy path and do the bare minimum, or you can hold yourself accountable. At the end of the day, you are the only one that knows if you are cutting corners. Those are the moments that remind me how much I do love the game, how much I want to give to the game, and give back from soccer.”
“I carry the moments of losses with me to make sure that the wins are worth it that much more, especially knowing that you can go from the bottom to the top,” she added.
Reflecting in a rearview mirror
If she were to look back in a rearview mirror over the last decade, she reflected, “I definitely see a girl who is hungry and knows what she wants but also has no idea what is coming for her.”
“I see myself as someone who was relentless in my pursuit for excellence and success, and I dug in. I was ready, I worked hard, and I understood by watching the players who are now retired. There is really no secret in getting to the top: it takes hard work, and it takes all the little details,” she said.
“Now, I think I can really help this team and be a leader for this team in the FIFA World Cup later this year,” she added.
Proudest milestones
Regarding her proudest professional milestones, Morgan shared, “Winning the Olympics in 2012 is definitely up there, that was my first win with the senior national team. The winning moments in 2015 and 2019 were the top moments, and hopefully, we will repeat those in 2023.”
“Then, not only having my daughter but being able to bring her along with me on this journey and having her come on the soccer field after each game and kick the ball around just makes it all worth it,” she said.
“It’s incredibly special to be still doing what I love, which is playing professional soccer, and being a mom. It has been challenging but so worth it, and I think that has helped inspire other women in how they can still be at the top of their game (playing professional sports) while having a family as well,” she acknowledged.
“I am hoping that I am paving a way that didn’t always exist,” she added.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Morgan said, “Balance creates happiness.” “Right now, it’s about being present and just enjoying where I am knowing that my career as a soccer player is finite,” she said.
“Also, being a good soccer player but most importantly, being a good teammate. Being a good person along the way, and trying to be the leader as well,” she added.
In her personal life, she is married to American soccer player Servando Carrasco, and they are the parents of Charlie, their three-year-old daughter.
Superpower of choice
If she were to have any superpower, she revealed that it would be “teleportation.” “To be able to teleport would be pretty sick,” she admitted. “That would cut the travel time out, and I would be in the destination already.”
Success
On her definition of the word success, Morgan said, “I don’t think of it in terms of a job or life. Success is a lifestyle, it is being happy with where you are in life, and feeling like you wake up with a purpose, and feeling fulfilled by the end of the day.”
“Success means being valued as a person and that you have people around you that uplift you, and you can do the same for them, that’s success,” she added.
Rapid Fire Questions
Morgan also took some time to answer several “Rapid Fire” questions.
Waffles or pancakes? Pancakes
Flying or driving? Flying
City living or country living? Country living
Summer or winter? Summer
Library or museum? Library
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
Texting or calling? Calling
Half-full or half-empty? Half-full
Skydiving or scuba diving? Scuba diving, it sounds a bit safer
Tea or coffee? Coffee but I don’t mind tea once in a while
Rain or snow? Snow
Singing or dancing? Dancing
Burgers or tacos? Tacos, I live in San Diego
Money or fame? Money
Michael Phelps, the world’s most decorated swimmer, once said: “If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren’t willing to do.” This quote sums up Alex Morgan; her life story, respected career in soccer, and her indomitable spirit, are an inspiration to us all.
To learn more about American professional soccer player Alex Morgan, check out her official website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
