San Diego Wave FC and the Leichtman-Levine family announced on Tuesday, May 13, that two-time World Cup champion and former Wave captain Alex Morgan joined the club as a minority investor, taking an equity stake in the organization she helped launch as a player three years ago.

One of the most influential athletes of her generation, Morgan was among the first announced players signed to Wave FC in 2021. Since then, she has played a pivotal role both on the pitch – scoring the Wave’s first goal and leading the team to consecutive playoff appearances – and off the pitch, contributing to the club’s rise as one of the most successful franchises in women’s sports.

“I’ve called [San Diego] home for four years now. I’m proud to live here, proud to be raising my children here, and proud to have been able to represent you on the pitch for the first three seasons in Wave history, ” said Morgan in a video statement.

Morgan retired from her professional soccer career on Sept. 8, 2024, as San Diego’s all-time leading scorer and assist leader, with 28 goals and 11 assists. In the club’s inaugural season, she won the NWSL Golden Boot with 16 goals, leading San Diego to become the first expansion team in NWSL history to qualify for the playoffs.

In 2023, she helped guide the Wave to its first trophy, lifting the NWSL Shield in front of a record-breaking home crowd at Snapdragon Stadium.

“Back in 2021,  when I decided to be part of this promising organization, I knew that San Diego would be a forever decision for me and my family,” she said. “What I didn’t know then was that these final seasons with the San Diego Wave would be more than I could ever dream of.”

As a minority investor, Morgan joined the Wave’s new controlling owners, the Leichtman-Levine family.

“Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,” said Lauren Leichtman, controlling owner of the San Diego Wave. “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.”

The 35-year-old native of San Dimas was an integral part of the U.S. women’s national team winning the FIFA World Cups in 2015 and 2019 where she also tied the single-game scoring record with five goals against Thailand in the opening match.

“Helping build this club from zero to one and seeing it become a clear reflection of the San Diego community fills me with immense pride. That makes me fall in love with this city and our fans even more,” said Morgan. “When I untied my cleats and walked off the field for the last time, I already knew in my heart that my job was not done here.”

Beyond her playing career, Morgan has advocated for women’s sports and is an entrepreneur. She co-founded TOGETHXR, a media and commerce company dedicated to equal rights, and covering and investing in women’s sports.

In 2023, she launched the Alex Morgan Foundation, focusing on creating equity and opportunity on and off the field. Additionally, Morgan is an investor in Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league, and a co-founder of Trybe Ventures, which invests in companies with a focus on Saas, media, sports teaching, and healthcare.

The U.S. women’s nortenacional team player amassed over 200 goals and 88 assists across 337 appearances. Internationally, Morgan ranks in the top 10 in U.S. women’s nortenacional team history for goals, assists, and multi-goal games. The forward’s extensive list of career accolades also consists of several individual recognitions being named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year twice (2012, 2018), FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11 selection (2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022), and CONCACAF Player of the Year four times (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018).

“My passion beyond the field has always been and always will be to push the game forward, challenge the status quo, and leave the sport in a better place than how I found it,” Morgan said. “It is a responsibility that I embrace and honor the generations that came before me. I am honored to invest in the San Diego Wave, to continue building a club that strives for greatness in everything we do and represent.”

Photo courtesy of Ola de San Diego