A tribute to Alex Morgan: The Gleaming Diamond

 

The Gleaming Diamond

For Alex – Algarve Cup, 2011

Alex,

You stood there in the Algarve sunlight,
a rare diamond before the world even knew what it held.
I remember it like it was yesterday:
a friendly against Japan,
a sea of faces, but you rose above.
Not just with your pace,
not just with your footwork,
but with something unmeasurable.

A gleam.

I saw it before I could explain it.
The way you moved –
light on your feet, yet full of intent.
The calm in your eyes,
as if you already knew the path ahead.
As if you already sensed what was coming:
World Cup glory in 2015 and 2019,
Olympic gold in London,
bronze in Tokyo –
as a striker, as a mother, as a symbol.

As if you foresaw the European treble with Lyon,
the rise with Portland,
the new chapter with San Diego.
As if you knew that your name
would not only grace scoresheets
but be etched into the history of the women’s game.

Back then, there were no billboards.
Europe barely knew your name.
You weren’t yet an icon.
You were raw, curious, full of promise.
And there you stood, on that field in Portugal,
and I thought: she will be great. She will change the game.

What followed was extraordinary.
Six SheBelieves Cups,
three CONCACAF titles,
Champions League, league titles, cups,
a Golden Boot in the NWSL –
and still, you remained grounded.
Stats can’t define you.
You are meaning. You are momentum.

You became a leader. A mother. A champion.
A voice for equality,
a face of the global game.
But you never lost that gleam.
Even when the spotlight burned brighter,
you remained honest. Poised. Human.

Alex,
to me you’ll always be that first glimpse –
that flash of brilliance on Algarve soil,
the knowing that some diamonds
shine long before they’re polished.

Thank you,
for who you are,
for what you give,
for what you stand for.

A gleaming diamond.
Always.

The Legacy Grows

Even after her final whistle, Alex Morgan keeps scoring — off the field.
In May 2025, she officially joined the ownership group of San Diego Wave FC, the very club where she dazzled in her final seasons. With 28 goals and 11 assists, Morgan didn’t just play for the Wave — she helped shape it. Now, as a minority owner, she ensures the wave keeps rising.

This step isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about building the future.
Alex continues to invest in sport, equality, and opportunity — from her media platform TOGETHXR, to the Alex Morgan Foundation, to ventures that empower women on and off the pitch.

The message to young players is clear:
You can lead with your feet, your voice, and your vision.
Alex Morgan does all three.
And now, she’s doing it from the boardroom, too.