United States women’s soccer legend Alex Morgan officially announced her retirement Thursday, ending a senior career that spanned nearly 16 years. In that time, Morgan led the U.S. to two World Cup victories and an Olympic gold medal, among many other achievements.

“I grew up on this team, it was so much more than soccer,” Morgan said in a statement Thursday. “It was the friendships and the unwavering respect and support among each other, the relentless push for global investment in women’s sports, and the pivotal moments of success both on and off the field.”

In the midst of the United States’ dynastic run in women’s soccer, Morgan joined the national team in 2008 and was the youngest player on the team at the 2011 World Cup. Joining around the same time as Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn, she became an integral part in keeping the program at the highest levels of the sport into the 2010s.

Coming out of the University of California in 2010, Morgan went on to have a successful club career as well, playing for 10 teams in brief stints while also participating in international competition. She has spent her last three seasons with the San Diego Wave, scoring 22 goals in 45 appearances.

Though she participated at the club level throughout her career, Morgan’s most well-known moments all occurred while representing the United States. In 15 seasons, she made 224 appearances and scored 123 goals, earning the title of co-captain in 2018 and held the title with Rapinoe and Lloyd until 2020.

“I am so incredibly honored to have borrowed the crest for more than 15 years,” Morgan said. “I learned so much about myself in that time and so much of that is a credit to my teammates and our fans. I feel immense pride in where this team is headed, and I will forever be a fan of the USWNT. My desire for success may have always driven me, but what I got in return was more than I could have ever asked and hoped for.”

In a sport that is still growing in the United States, Morgan has been an industry leader, a profoundly talented individual who has promoted women’s soccer to aspiring players and fans alike. Soccer in the United States has exploded in popularity since the women’s program’s rise in the early 1990s, and Morgan did her part in propagating that success in a new generation.

Carli Lloyd proved this week she is not just a talented soccer player and that she could also have a shot at playing in the NFL one day.

The 37-year-old Sky Blue FC star — who last month helped the United States Women’s National Team win their second straight World Cup title — attended a joint practice between the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday and quickly impressed after nailing a 55-yard field goal.

Lloyd, a die-hard Eagles fan, also kicked several 40-yard field goals on the field in Philadelphia.

“I’m really impressed with all these guys,” Lloyd said in a video she posted. “It’s awesome to be here. Really looking forward to the season.”

IN MEMORIAM: SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The video showing Llyod’s kicking ability rapidly spread around online and caught the attention of Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt, who said he believed she could make history as the first female NFL player and deserved at least an “honest tryout.”

“Honestly, I don’t think it will be long before we see a woman break through this NFL barrier,” tweeted Brandt, the former vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys. “I’d give her an honest tryout if I were, say, the Bears.”

Brandt’s suggestion isn’t a bad idea, considering the Bears displayed terrible kicking in the playoffs last year against Philadelphia. Eddy Pineiro is set to be the team’s kicker for the 2019 season.

During the U.S. Women’s National Team’s World Cup victory parade last month, Lloyd paid tribute to her favorite NFL team by chanting “Fly Eagles Fly.”

Lloyd, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and FIFA Player of the Year, scored three goals in this year’s World Cup. She hinted at possibly retiring after defeating the Netherlands in the final of the tournament in France, so perhaps a future in the NFL could be in store for her.

The midfielder also isn’t the only Eagles fan on the USWNT. Julie Ertz is married to Eagles tight end Zach Ertz. 

The US Women’s National Team defended their 2015 World Cup title after winning it again on Sunday, beating the Netherlands 2-0 in France. This US team is the second team in both men’s and women’s international world cups that successfully won two World Cups back-to-back, joining the men’s Italian team accomplishing this near-impossible task in the 1930s.

After making history, what does the future hold for older stars Carli Lloyd, 36, and Megan Rapinoe, 34? Lloyd has hinted at retirement, while Rapinoe doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

“I don’t feel like I’m that old,” Rapinoe said after the final, according to ESPN. “I’m made for this.”

She certainly didn’t show any sign of slowing down during the final on Sunday. Rapinoe became the first player in the women’s World Cup to start in three straight finals. She gave the US the winning goal and earned the Golden Boot for the most goals in the tournament. Rose Lavelle scored the reassurance goal in the 69th minute to secure the Women’s World Cup for the US. Alex Morgan took the starting role up front for the majority of the tournament, forcing Lloyd to sit on the bench, but she still contributed to the team scoring three goals over the 2019 tournament. Lloyd will be turning 37 this July, and has hinted at retirement herself.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019: IN MEMORIAM SLIDESHOW 

“It’s been a really tough couple of years,” Lloyd said, according to ESPN. “It’s not based on my ability. And for whatever reasons, coaches make the decision. I tried to put up a good case. So I’m going to go home, I’m going to kind of let the emotions die down a little bit, speak to my husband and we’ll go from there.”

The 2020 Olympics are coming as well, with Lloyd possibly playing for another year before retiring to try to further build her impressive trophy cabinet. For now, though, the team can celebrate accomplishing two World Cups in eight years, something they can surely be proud about.

“The goal was winning. It’s been a really tough couple of years for me – I’ve been open and honest about it,” Lloyd said after the final, according to Sporting News. “First and foremost, I’m really proud of this team and proud to be on this roster of 23 players to win another World Cup.”

The U.S. Women’s National Team clinched a spot in the knockout round of the 2019 World Cup after defeating Chile 3-0 on Sunday.

The USWNT came out with an evolved 11 from their explosive, 13-0 triumph over Thailand, using just four of their starters from Tuesday’s game. Veteran forward Carli Lloyd took goalscorer Alex Morgan’s spot up front, while Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath were rested ahead of Christine Press and Mallory Pugh taking the wings. Becky Sauerbrunn returned to the back line after her injury, putting Julie Ertz into the midfield. Coach Jill Ellis showed a clear display of how much depth this team possesses, with two straight group games of domination without conceding a goal.

“We need them,” Ellis said about the rotation of her players, according to USA Today. “We need them in a good place. If they can have minutes and their butterflies are out of the way, it helps us down the line.”

Whether it was a fitness issue with Tuesday’s starters or getting her entire squad match fit ahead of crucial knockout games, Ellis exhibited the extent this U.S. team holds. Ertz scored in the 26th minute, while Lloyd celebrated a brace in Sunday’s game and missed out on a hat trick after missing a penalty late in the second half.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The USWNT scored all their goals in the first half, and kept Chile on the ropes throughout the second half, but failed to score again. Chile GK Christiane Endler can be thanked to deny another routing from USA, having saved 14 shots in the second half.

“It takes all 23 players. It takes the entire roster to ultimately lift this trophy,” said Lloyd, according to USA Today.  “We’ve obviously been on the bench supporting the starting group and then vice versa today. It’s just fun, fun to share in the goal celebrations.”

After two games in France so far, Ellis has used 20 different players after subbing Allie Long, Emily Sonnett and Jessica McDonald on during the Chile game. Depth could prove to be the answer ahead of a potentially rigorous seven-game course through the entirety of the tournament. The USWNT faces Sweden on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. EST. Sweden is also 2-0, and will be the team’s first major challenge ahead of the knockout stage.

Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan each scored to propel the U.S. women’s national team to a 2-0 victory over New Zealand at the Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on Wednesday in their Olympic opener.

Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan Lead USWNT To 2-0 Win Over New Zealand

The U.S. is seeking to become the first reigning Women’s World Cup champion to win the Olympic gold medal. Wednesday’s victory means the Americans will have the maximum three points when they face World No. 3 France in their second group stage game on Saturday.

Lloyd, who is the team’s co-captain alongside Becky Sauerbrunn, opened scoring in the ninth minute. Following a stellar cross from just outside the left side of the box by Tobin Heath, the Houston Dash midfielder jumped to head the ball in from just a few feet away, sinking the ball right inside the left post to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead with her 89th international goal.

The last time Lloyd played for the women’s national team, she scored three goals in the first 16 minutes of the 2015 World Cup Final. Funnily enough, the 34-year-old began the 2012 Olympics on the bench and only entered the game when an early injury arose. She capped that gold-medal run with two goals in the finals.

ESPN Stats & Info revealed just how close Lloyd is to breaking former USWNT player Abby Wambach’s Olympic scoring record:

Lloyd recently told Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl that she wanted to win a gold medal this year, another World Cup three years from now, and then one more gold medal in 2020 before finally retiring. She is the reigning World Player of the Year.

Morgan doubled the lead just one minute into the second half. Morgan Brian fed the Orlando Pride forward a short ground pass into the box, and the fast Morgan fired a low left-foot drive just inside the near post and past goalkeeper Erin Nayler. 

The U.S., led by coach Jill Ellis, dominated possession (64-36), although it struggled to figure out New Zealand’s defense aside from the two goals.

Beginning in the second half, goalie Hope Solo was booed by local supporters at Estádio Mineirão, with fans chanting “Zika” every time she cleared the ball from her penalty box.

The controversial goalkeeper has been outspoken about her concerns over traveling to Brazil due to the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Earlier this week, she posted a photo of herself on Twitter wearing a beekeeper’s mask and holding a giant bottle of insect repellent. Solo’s picture was widely reported by the Brazliian media.

Former national team player and NBC analyst Kate Markgraf insisted the U.S would use the Solo taunts as motivation.

“The last thing you want to do is to give any reason for the U.S to come together,” Markgraf said. “You give them something to focus on instead of getting worried about how they will perform, that can only be a positive for them.”

Solo made one save on Wednesday.

France will surely prove to be a much tougher opponent for the USWNT. Les Bleus went to the quarterfinals of last summer’s World Cup and recorded a win over the Americans in 2015. The USWNT won the last meeting between the two teams, 1-0.

Despite strong competition, some still believe the USWNT is the favorite to win the Olympics.

New Zealand picked up three yellow cards. After France, the US will then face Colombia on Tuesday.

CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 10: Carli Lloyd #10 of the United States controls the ball against Colombia at Talen Energy Stadium on April 10, 2016 in Chester, Pennsylvania. The United States defeated Colombia 3-0. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

If you are a basketball fan you have definitely heard of LSU’s 6-foot-11 superstar Ben Simmons or Duke’s newest blue chipper, Brandon Ingraham. Even casual fans are familiar with the likes of Buddy Hield and Domantas Sabonis, son of former Portland Trailblazer and European basketball icon, Arvitis Sabonis.

And if you participated in an office pool last March  you’ve probably cursed the name Denzel Valentine, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, better known for his role in Michigan State’s early exit in the 2016 edition of March Madness. These five players will be picked in the top 15 of the upcoming NBA Draft.

But what about names like Breanna Stewart, Rachel Banham and Aerial Powers?

The faces appear a little fuzzier than that of their male counterparts, but these women were picked first, fourth and fifth respectively in the 2016 WNBA Draft. They are the fresh faces responsible for ushering in a new era for the NBA’s sister-league.

Unfortunately, for most of the sports world the “W” stands for “Who cares?”

The bottomline is, regardless of their physical gifts, WNBA players and female professional athletes in general, are still treated as second-class citizens, banished to the dark corners of the sports landscape.

Banham’s name may ring a bell, but only because Kobe Bryant shined the brightest light he could find upon the former Minnesota Golden Gopher. And even that took a 60-point performance from Banham before the Black Mamba decided it was time to strike a few keys on the Twittersphere.

As women creep closer to equality in the business world, the gap between male and female athletes continues to widen.

Look no further than the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team.

The players remain in a contentious dispute with the U.S. Soccer Federation over fair wages, despite capturing the highest honor in the sport, the FIFA World Cup crown last summer. The U.S. men’s team on the other hand, is coming off consecutive runs to the knockout round in their previous two World Cup appearances. (Please pop your bottles with care.)

But do soccer fans see the men’s team as a threat to take it all? No. Even the most hardened hooligans will tell you the men are miles off target. No one really believes-that-they-will-win, it all.

But the women have raised the cup three times in their history and twice since 1999.

The last time the men held it, Old Trafford was just called Trafford … in a mythical land called honalee. That is to say that the men’s team, in their 86-year history, has yet to hoist the World Cup overhead.

The women have three world titles in 24 years, but you wouldn’t know it looking at their pay stubs.

USWNT defender Carli Lloyd won the Golden Ball in 2015, awarded to the most valuable player in the World Cup, but she takes a back seat to another individual from her home-state of New Jersey, men’s goaltender Tim Howard. Back in February, Lloyd and her teammates decided they had enough, filing a wage-discrimination complaint with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with the hope of moving the needle.

The social scales had already been shifted.

Forward Abby Wambach‘s same-sex celebration kiss was heralded throughout the country with #LoveWins going viral on social media. Reflecting on the USWNT’s miraculous run through the 2015 World Cup, President Barack Obama made public comments suggesting that equality was not a dream for the future, but a reality in the present.

“This team taught all of America’s children that playing like a girl means you’re a badass,” Obama said, before altering his word choice. “Playing like a girl means you’re the best,” he said.

But the status quo remains in tact, even when it comes to the “little things.”

The top five men’s soccer players are paid $334,000 more on average than that of the top five females. The men even get $15 more per day for expenses, including meal money.

“Maybe they figure women are smaller and thus eat less,” Lloyd quipped in a essay for the New York Times.

The time has come for change. Women have had the right to vote for 96 years, it’s about time they are afforded equal rights in the workplace, on the pitch and in the arena.

Lloyd said it best: “Simply put, we’re sick of being treated as second-class citizens. It wears on you after awhile. And we’re done with it.”

And so am I.