This year Alex Morgan made it to Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people. At age 17, she became the youngest member of the U.S. women’s national soccer team in 2009. She graduated a semester early from the University of California, Berkley. Her game-play was monumental in winning the 2012 Summer Olympics and FIFA world cup in 2015.
The transformation of Alex Morgan from an unknown soccer player to a star player is incredible and truly fascinating. Alex Morgan is not just your average soccer player, she is here to make a difference. She has leveraged her position of power and influence to become a voice for female athletes. Besides being the top 10 female soccer players, let’s look at some of her milestones that have influenced not only female athletes but also women around the globe.
1. Fighting for gender income inequality
Alex Morgan along with her teammates from USWNT sued United States Soccer Federation for pay discrimination in March 2016 and gender discrimination in March 2019. Despite winning all the major championships, USWNT is compensated less than WSMNT. The pay difference between MNT and WNT is greater than 62%. She wants to push the fight for equality so that the female athletes don’t have to fight for equal pay anymore. In her own words “ the goal is that we work together with U.S. Soccer to overcome this hurdle”. Her aim is not only about equal compensation but also to put a limelight on the gender and pay discrimination faced by female athletes. She is inspiring and encouraging women in sports to come out and voice the discrimination they are facing because of their gender. She wants to develop women’s sports so that women can play and enjoy sports without any pressure and discrimination. Equal everything is her goal: equal pay, equal working conditions, equal resources and equal everything for women around the globe.
2. Writing books to inspire young girls
When Morgan is not on the soccer field, she is writing books to inspiring young girls. In 2012, Morgan signed a deal with Simon & Schuster to write a 10 series soccer-themed books for young audiences. The first book in the series, The Kicks: Saving the Team (2013), became a New York Times bestseller. Later the Kicks was adapted for a 10-episode run on Amazon in 2015. The theme of the book revolves around friendship, leadership, and soccer. She wants to educate young kids about the importance of personal empowerment, self-confidence and the advantage of teamwork. She draws the inspiration for her book from her game-play on the field. Morgan wants to inspire young girls and celebrate her love for soccer through these books.
3. Advocating for body positivity
In an interview with CNN Alex said, “It is important to accept your body for what God gave you”. She is an advocate for body positivity who spreads the message of being comfortable in your skin, whatever shape you are. She donned the cover of sports illustrated multiple times to express her self-esteem and body confidence. Through those covers she wants young girls to see her confidence and strength in loving yourself and your body. She is very public about the scrutiny she faces regarding her body. In an interview, she talks about people making fun of her calves. However, she always takes back the control by talking about how proud she is of her calves because both her parents have muscular calves too. She wants to be a good role model who young girls are proud to consider as their role model.
4. Playing like a girl
Playing like a girl always had a negative connotation. However, Alex Morgan is here to re-invent that phrase because she loves playing like a girl. Instead of meaning you aren’t good enough she wants to change it to something that is celebrated. She is using her platform to change the negative meaning of the phrase through awareness. When she first started playing youth club soccer, she was told she wasn’t good enough to be in the team. She was discouraged from playing the sports that she loved because she played like a girl. However, playing exactly like a girl, she became the youngest member of the U.S. women's national soccer team in 2009. She also became monumental in bringing home the Olympic gold medal in 2012 and the FIFA world cup championship in 2015. She has ignited conversation and awareness about stereotypes surrounding girls and their ability to play sports. About 67% of young female athletes are discouraged from playing sports.
She is on the path of encouraging girls to play the sports they love despite the negativity and criticism because playing like a girl pays off. She wants to instill in young girls that working hard in the sports they love increases confidence and leadership skills. She is inspiring girls through her story to pick themselves up and get back in the game.
The transformation of Alex Morgan from an unknown soccer player to a star player is incredible and truly fascinating. Alex Morgan is not just your average soccer player, she is here to make a difference. She has leveraged her position of power and influence to become a voice for female athletes. Besides being the top 10 female soccer players, let’s look at some of her milestones that have influenced not only female athletes but also women around the globe.
1. Fighting for gender income inequality
 | |
| Alex Morgan and her team mates for equal play and equal pay |
Alex Morgan along with her teammates from USWNT sued United States Soccer Federation for pay discrimination in March 2016 and gender discrimination in March 2019. Despite winning all the major championships, USWNT is compensated less than WSMNT. The pay difference between MNT and WNT is greater than 62%. She wants to push the fight for equality so that the female athletes don’t have to fight for equal pay anymore. In her own words “ the goal is that we work together with U.S. Soccer to overcome this hurdle”. Her aim is not only about equal compensation but also to put a limelight on the gender and pay discrimination faced by female athletes. She is inspiring and encouraging women in sports to come out and voice the discrimination they are facing because of their gender. She wants to develop women’s sports so that women can play and enjoy sports without any pressure and discrimination. Equal everything is her goal: equal pay, equal working conditions, equal resources and equal everything for women around the globe.
2. Writing books to inspire young girls
 |
| Morgan with her first soccer themed book The Kicks: Saving the team |
When Morgan is not on the soccer field, she is writing books to inspiring young girls. In 2012, Morgan signed a deal with Simon & Schuster to write a 10 series soccer-themed books for young audiences. The first book in the series, The Kicks: Saving the Team (2013), became a New York Times bestseller. Later the Kicks was adapted for a 10-episode run on Amazon in 2015. The theme of the book revolves around friendship, leadership, and soccer. She wants to educate young kids about the importance of personal empowerment, self-confidence and the advantage of teamwork. She draws the inspiration for her book from her game-play on the field. Morgan wants to inspire young girls and celebrate her love for soccer through these books.
3. Advocating for body positivity
 |
| Morgan photo shoot with sports illustrated magazine |
In an interview with CNN Alex said, “It is important to accept your body for what God gave you”. She is an advocate for body positivity who spreads the message of being comfortable in your skin, whatever shape you are. She donned the cover of sports illustrated multiple times to express her self-esteem and body confidence. Through those covers she wants young girls to see her confidence and strength in loving yourself and your body. She is very public about the scrutiny she faces regarding her body. In an interview, she talks about people making fun of her calves. However, she always takes back the control by talking about how proud she is of her calves because both her parents have muscular calves too. She wants to be a good role model who young girls are proud to consider as their role model.
4. Playing like a girl
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| Morgan on a soccer field, playing like a girl |
She is on the path of encouraging girls to play the sports they love despite the negativity and criticism because playing like a girl pays off. She wants to instill in young girls that working hard in the sports they love increases confidence and leadership skills. She is inspiring girls through her story to pick themselves up and get back in the game.
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