Alex Morgan: Soccer, Sexualization, & Suing US Soccer

Join Alex in the studio for an interview with Alex Morgan! Alex Morgan discusses her legendary fight for equal pay, advocating for moms in sports, and how she dealt with insane double standards throughout her career. She also opens up about her decision to retire and what life looks like beyond soccer.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Alex Cooper?

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• 0:45Alex Cooper?

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• 1:31Alex Cooper?

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• 2:15Alex Cooper?

  What is up daddy gang? It is your founding father Alex Cooper with Call Her Daddy.

• 2:24Alex Cooper?

  Alex Morgan, welcome to Call Her Daddy.

• 2:26Speaker 03

  Thank you. Hi Alex.

• 2:27Alex Cooper?

  Hi. Okay. You tell me, when is the last time you touched a soccer ball and I'll tell you?

• 2:32Speaker 03

  Oh my God, like, okay, the last time I touched soccer ball was when, this was like five months ago. Yeah. They tried to get me to do, to juggle in heels. And I said, I haven't, I can't juggle right now, let alone in heels. Okay, your turn. Tell me.

• 2:51Alex Cooper?

  First of all, I need to validate you because when you're playing, you take obviously juggling so seriously because it's kind of like a fun thing that you do before practice or after games or whatever. And there's obviously the girls that are so good at it. I used to be really good. So I'm so competitive with myself. So whenever someone's like, oh, so juggle. I'm like, let me just, first of all, I haven't touched a soccer ball. So the fact that you think I can just do like a one-legged volley up and then onto my knee, like, stop it. You're insulting me.

• 3:18Speaker 03

  I was like, kind of scared coming here because I was like, are we gonna like bust out a soccer ball?

• 3:22Alex Cooper?

  Wait, no, my team literally had a soccer ball ready and I was like,

• 3:26Speaker 03

  Put that away.

• 3:27Alex Cooper?

  We didn't know. And they were like, what if for the promo, you like kick the ball? And I was like, wait, what? You want me to juggle? And they're like, no, just like slide the ball to the left. And I was like, okay, that's bare minimum, but like, I can do that. No, I haven't touched a soccer ball except for, we got one for like my little like nephew at our house and he was playing with it. And then I like started to get competitive and he's three.

• 3:46Speaker 03

  And then you slide tackled him.

• 3:48Alex Cooper?

  Basically. And then they're all like, what is wrong with you? That's like the last time I touched one, but to actually like play? No, it makes me sad. But happy, sad, but sad. It's weird.

• 3:59Speaker 03

  It is weird, but it's also like, we don't want to be getting injured. So I will leave that in the past life.

• 4:05Alex Cooper?

  Absolutely. We were good at one point. No, I was fine. You were great at one point. And now you deserve to relax and protect your shins and your knees.

• 4:15Speaker 03

  And the knees and ankles and ACLs.

• 4:17Alex Cooper?

  The whole thing. Um, okay. I just need to say, like, I have now interviewed two of your former teammates. I interviewed Abby Wambach and I interviewed Trinity Rodman. Do you keep up with these ladies? Or do you guys kind of do your own thing? Like, how do you vibe with old teammates?

• 4:35Speaker 03

  Yes to all of that. Abby, we just like see each other randomly. Um, I actually got the, I, I recently got the Icon Award. This is not a humble brag, but like from ESPN and Abby was like, I can't go to watch your Icon Award. So she went the night before and literally flew out like right after saying hi to me and she's like, I just wanted to be here for you.

• 4:59Alex Cooper?

  Wow.

• 5:00Speaker 03

  And that was, um, actually really incredible. I, yeah, I like cried. I was like, thank you so much for being here. It means a lot. Like she, yeah. So me and Abby really care about each other and Trin is someone who I care dearly about. And I've just seen her career and just her life take off, um, in front of my eyes and I'm really happy for her. So I, I do try to keep up with the girls, but it's not, it's not like every day we're on like group texts and texting and stuff. Like I got kids. I have like mom group friends that don't even know who Alex Morgan is, which I'm so happy with.

• 5:38Alex Cooper?

  You like it.

• 5:38Speaker 03

  It's so nice. I just show up and I'm just like one of the moms.

• 5:42Alex Cooper?

  Until you're like, oh, now my little one want to play soccer and all of a sudden everyone's like, who can teach them? And then you're going to be able to be like, I'll do it.

• 5:51Speaker 03

  I will be like in my hoodie. Do you have an extra hoodie I can wear?

• 5:56Alex Cooper?

  You're like, not me, not me. And then you come out of retirement for your kids and you're like,

• 5:59Speaker 03

  Go get the ball.

• 6:01Alex Cooper?

  Side tackle.

• 6:19Alex Cooper?

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• 7:04Alex Cooper?

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• 7:48Alex Cooper?

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• 8:33Alex Cooper?

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• 9:17Alex Cooper?

  have. So I want to go back to the beginning a little bit here. You decided at seven that you wanted to be a professional soccer player. This is what I read. And you told your mom that this was gonna happen. Can you share the story of when you told her this and what her reaction was?

• 9:33Speaker 03

  Yeah, so taking us way back. So my sis, I have two older sisters and I like always wanted to fall in their footsteps. I was always trying to like do everything they did, but better, obviously, as a youngest sibling goes. And so my sister was like, decided to write a little sticky note to my mom to put in her office, like, hi, Mom, I love you so much. And I want to become a model when I grow up. That was what my sister wanted to be. And I was like, model lame. Like, let me tell you. So I was like, hi, Mommy, I love you so much. And when I grow up, I want to be a professional soccer player. And she was had like my sisters in mind, posted them on the wall and was like, girls,

• 10:14Speaker 03

  you go, go get it. Like, I will do anything you need to be able to accomplish that. So my mom took me to Mia Hamm's retirement game. She bought season tickets to like, two leagues before, two women's leagues before that full did, just to support the team. Like, we couldn't ever go to the games, but like, just to support the team. And she was like, let's, let's do this. Like, I'm here, we will fly across country. Like, I'll do anything to help you become a professional soccer player, which, by the way, there was like, little to no avenue to do that at the time.

• 10:47Alex Cooper?

  Absolutely. Like, well, it's also cool for you, Alex, because I feel like so many girls did grow up being like, I'm gonna be a professional soccer player. And then it doesn't happen. And you get to sit here now. And like, it's crazy even hearing you reference Mia Hamm, because I grew up and Mia was just like my everything. I had the posters, like, I went to games, like, I watched her on TV. And then you became a lot of young girls Mia Hamm. And how crazy to think that it started on this post-it note. And your mom, which is incredible to know that your parents were so supportive and they were like, oh, we've got you. Cause I think a lot of times when kids are young, parents can be like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, sure, sure. You want to do that?

• 11:27Alex Cooper?

  And then they don't actually help foster that drive and that dream that you have. So that's really cool. Your parents were supportive.

• 11:35Speaker 03

  It was really awesome.

• 11:36Alex Cooper?

  Your dad, though, was also a huge part of your life. You said that he was one of the best coaches that you ever had, but

• 11:43Speaker 03

  Did I say that?

• 11:44Alex Cooper?

  Yes, you have said, my dad was one of the

• 11:46Speaker 03

  At the time?

• 11:47Alex Cooper?

  Yes. My dad had been one of my best coaches, even though he knew nothing about soccer.

• 11:51Speaker 03

  That sounds on par.

• 11:52Alex Cooper?

  Okay, perfect. Is there anything that you look back now that your dad like taught you or had you do? That you're like, that literally made no sense, dad. Like that makes no sense for soccer. But since you're my dad, I was just like doing it.

• 12:03Speaker 03

  So I lived my like playing career.

• 12:09Speaker 03

  Just like I had my dad in the back of my head all the time because he, he knew like, growing up, I played all different sports and I knew I wasn't the best soccer player. Like I was not the best tech, the most technical athlete out there. I had athleticism, but like, put a ball on my foot and like, I couldn't make it go exactly where I wanted it to go. But my dad like instilled this confidence in me and he kept just after every game, after every training, like he didn't tell me like, good job. You did everything perfectly. There, there was criticism in there, but he would tell me, you are the best. Like, and you need to believe that when you step on the field, you need to believe that you are the best. Because you are like, in my eyes, you deserve better.

• 12:53Speaker 03

  Like, we went to a team when I went from rec to club soccer. And he was like, this is not the team for you. They don't treat you like you're the best. The coach doesn't believe in you like you believe in yourself. We're going to a different team. So I think like that confidence that he instilled in me and like, he almost had for me, kind of helped me believe that throughout my career. So it was like, I don't care that I'm not like, I don't care that I am not the best soccer player. I can't put the ball in the exact spot that I want to, but I'm going to believe that I'm the best all around, all day, every day. And just having the mentality. Took me a really long way.

• 13:29Alex Cooper?

  I appreciate you sharing that you acknowledged, like you weren't always like the most talented on the team, like you really had to work for it. Cause I saw when I was preparing for the interview, I was also shocked to learn that as a teenager, one of your coaches, you had said, told you that you weren't good enough for the team and that you would be a practice player. I love that you're smirking. Um, what?

• 13:51Speaker 03

  Well, I'm smirking because I got a, uh, I got a text from him like,

• 13:55Alex Cooper?

  No.

• 13:56Speaker 03

  Oh my God, this was like last year. Like I'm, it was a, it was a long text. I would have to pull it up, but it was like, I'm so sorry. I was in a, the wrong headspace at the time and I, you know, I really apologize for what I said, but it seems like you've done it well for yourself and blah, blah. And I was just like, fuck this. Like I'm not, I'm not giving this the time of day at all.

• 14:22Alex Cooper?

  Wait, I also love that it took him this long.

• 14:25Speaker 03

  Oh, like babe, I'm like 20 plus years.

• 14:29Alex Cooper?

  Yeah, stop. You're like fully winning like a world cup and he's like, can't text you then, but now he's finally like sliding in as you're like retiring and you're like, bro, where has this been for the last two decades?

• 14:42Speaker 03

  Yeah, no.

• 14:43Alex Cooper?

  Okay. 2011, World Cup, you have to talk to me. You made history as the youngest player in D U S to be on that team. Where was your head at mentally when you realized like, I am going to the World Cup and I am the youngest rookie?

• 15:02Speaker 03

  My head was like, not anywhere to be found. I was like, stay in line, do as you're told, shut up, like, don't say anything. Like I, I could not be more opposite than these young players coming in. Like I have arrived. Here I am. Know my name, learn it, memorize it. Like I was opposite of that. I was like, don't make a peep, like shut up, like don't do anything to get you, to have anyone look at you, even, yeah.

• 15:32Alex Cooper?

  Alex.

• 15:35Alex Cooper?

  This is why I love interviewing people because like, again, I have images of you in my head on that field when you're like scoring and that like competitive, incredible part of you that like has that like beast mode inside of you. And then hearing you be like, I'm just like hiding behind the girls, like just happy to be here. Like, anyone need water?

• 15:57Speaker 03

  You know, though, when you step on the field, it's kind of your like release. Like with you, maybe it's having a microphone in a room by yourself. You know, you just like are yourself in a way that you can't explain. And then you get that taken away from you. Like I step off the soccer field and I'm back to like, oh, okay, these are my teammates that I've been looking up to my whole life. Like Abby Wambach just scored the game winner to move us into the semifinal in extra, in overtime of extra time like, and now I'm off the field and I'm like having dinner with her and we're just like, have to move on to the next game. Okay.

• 16:35Alex Cooper?

  Right? Because you're like watching these women and they're so fucking talented and you're watching them on your screen and then you're standing there next to them and you're like, hey, guys, I'm Alex. How did you eventually get out of the imposter syndrome that any rookie would potentially feel? Well, not all rookies, you're right. Some are like, I'm literally hot shit bitch, watch out. How did you?

• 16:56Speaker 03

  Good for them.

• 16:56Alex Cooper?

  Yes. How did you work through imposter syndrome?

• 16:59Speaker 03

  I don't know. Sometimes I still feel like I'm living through that. Like I still feel like sometimes, you know, even just a few years ago, showing up and being like the starter, maybe the star player, whatever it might be, I still feel like I would show up and be like, I know I belong and I know I deserve to be here and I know I've worked for this. But it still feels a little weird. Like it still feels like weird to like know that millions of people are watching me play or that this like stadium is coming, like these 60,000 people are coming to watch us play. And I'm supposed to be scoring the goals, you know? So it, I don't, I don't

• 17:41Speaker 03

  know if you ever get over it, but you just get used to it. Like you just like, eventually it's rinse and repeat and you, you get used to it, I guess.

• 17:53Alex Cooper?

  Do you feel like there was a point in your career where you had a shift in your confidence level? Like I get the imposter syndrome is weird because it's like, Who would get used to millions of people tuning in in these huge moments in your career? But like, did your confidence ever be like, okay, I'm feeling better about myself and my game? And like, who I am in this league?

• 18:15Speaker 03

  Yeah, I think in 2015, we won the World Cup. And I felt like it was like, that was the first time in a long time we had won the World Cup. And we felt like, okay, we want to celebrate and we want to party, but we still have to be like, buttoned up and we still have to be like, girls, we have to be nice women where we have to say the right thing. You can't curse. You can't like, you don't want to be seen like drinking, God forbid, smoking a cigar. When you celebrate, like, no, that doesn't happen. Then fast forward to 2019 and we were like owning our shit. We were like, yeah, we're the best. We're gonna win. We filed a law, an equal pay lawsuit against US Soccer.

• 18:57Speaker 03

  We know that winning this is gonna help our case and we are the best. And so we like carried that like confidence in a way that I feel like women don't usually feel comfortable being able to do so because we've, we've always been suppressed like, no, just be a nice lady. Shut up. And we were like, no, this is, and we're gonna celebrate and we're gonna do that with alcohol. We're gonna do that with parties. We're gonna do that with loud music. We're gonna do that with saying whatever the F we want. And we did. And I feel like that was a moment that I was like, oh, like I can be, I can be a badass out in the field

• 19:34Speaker 03

  and I can celebrate my wins, but I can also be, I can also be, I could do, I could just be whatever I wanted to be. And I feel like it was just like this eye opener in a way that um, almost was like opposite of what I like grew up knowing and being told what I needed to do and being like told I needed to be grateful for what I had.

• 19:57Alex Cooper?

  I agree. I remember that moment where you guys win and we see these women like.

• 20:06Alex Cooper?

  Acting what some people would assume is more like men and it's like, oh my God, they have an alcoholic beverage in their hand and they're like, yeah, we just fucking won. Like, can't we celebrate? But I can't help but attribute that to like, I bet it would be so much harder if it had been a solo sport. I think there was something that all of you on this rise and having this huge win and having this momentum and this camaraderie, all of you as women finally were looking around being like, you guys, we're so fucking good. We deserve this. Like, how are we not being able to enjoy what we've worked so hard for and for our country for? And I think that's such a testament to what we're saying is like, look at the power

• 20:48Alex Cooper?

  of when women can actually come together and look around and be like, we actually don't all have to compete. We're here together and let's use all of our voices to actually make a difference for all the younger generations, which you guys did, which I don't want to get to now. Let's talk about the double standards because this is like a perfect transition. Because it's like, oh my God, where do we even start? Obviously, women in sports are held to a much, much, much, much higher standard than men, right? Like, female athletes are expected to just be the most incredible, perfect role model for the young girls and to act polite and to be grateful.

• 21:29Speaker 03

  Why do you do it? Do you do it for, you do it for the young girls? You do it to be a role model? Like, is that why you play soccer? Like, you want like to inspire the next generation? It's always, how many questions have I gotten? Like, just phrase like that.

• 21:46Alex Cooper?

  When do you think at a point in your career, when you started to go professional, did you feel, or is there an example where you were like, oh my God, I'm really experiencing this overwhelming pressure to be a role model, not just a soccer player?

• 22:04Speaker 03

  When during the Olympics in 2012, I start, I gained a starting spot earlier that year. And then scoring goals and winning the Olympics in 2012. I feel like I kind of shot up to like a fame that we didn't have in women's soccer for many years. Since Mia. And so that was a moment that I felt like, okay, I really need to watch what I'm saying. Watch what I'm doing. Um, I need to make sure that I'm like carrying myself in a good way. And I'm representing myself, my team, my country, my family.

• 22:44Speaker 03

  And in a positive way, like it was almost like thinking through things and in a lot of ways, like my personality, like I almost went inside of myself a little bit more. And I was still very much myself around my family. Um, and my boyfriend, my husband now, my boyfriend at the time, but I felt like I couldn't necessarily like show everybody who I was, um, or like have that personality all the time. Because I didn't really want to be like criticized in that way. I didn't want to be told that I wasn't being a like a good role model for young girls. So I kind of just like showed people what they wanted to see in here.

• 23:28Speaker 03

  And then behind closed door, like I was myself.

• 23:31Alex Cooper?

  When you say that, do you think if you went back, you would change anything?

• 23:37Speaker 03

  I think if I like was going through my professional career and like becoming that like 18, 20, 22 year olds, like professional athlete now, I think standards have shifted a little bit. So I think it would be a little bit different and I think it would have shaped me. differently in a way of feeling a little more confident to be like myself even when the cameras were on. But at the time, I feel like it was in a lot of ways like women's sports didn't really have a platform. We were really fighting to like get any access like for our games to be broadcasted for more than 3,000 people to be coming to our games at the time. So it was like do anything and everything to help this sport grow. And that means like how

• 24:20Speaker 03

  you carry yourself all day, every day. It's exhausting. It's really fucking exhausting.

• 24:27Alex Cooper?

  Did you have people in your ear giving you feedback and advice? Or were you navigating this and kind of figuring out how to move and be a role model publicly on your own?

• 24:42Speaker 03

  Well, I was both navigating it through my teammates and like my agent and my family, but I was also seeing like how maybe some of my teammates who reacted in a different way, who maybe brought their egos publicly or, you know, had just not even, it's hard to say ego, just like confidence who brought them full, their full selves to the public like were seen as in a negative way. And so I was like, well, I don't, I don't know that I want to have that much criticism on me at such a young age. So just like get in line and kind of do what you're told and like put on a happy face and like take every, like after games, I would literally be

• 25:26Speaker 03

  signing autographs and taking photos for like an hour. You don't see male athletes doing that. Like they wouldn't stop for a photo after a game. Like they're going to the locker room, they're showering, they're getting home and they're having a beer or whatever they're drinking. But for me, I was like, that was what we had to do. We had to like show everyone that like every single person in that stadium mattered, that we were doing the most to grow our sport, that we were being a good role model that so.

• 25:55Alex Cooper?

  And it's like also hearing you say that I agree. It's like, there are so many moments where of course, like you're so grateful, you want to. Sign an autograph. You want to smile and take a picture, but it's the fact that it is this like prerequisite that you are expected and anything less than perfect, then you're probably a bitch or you have some type of problem and you're an egomaniac and you're an asshole. And oh, Alex Morgan isn't even a nice person. And all of a sudden you're like, we just cause I like created a little bit of a boundary for myself because I just played a 90 minute game. And I just want to like quickly go rinse off and like not take sweaty pictures for an hour.

• 26:33Alex Cooper?

  Yeah, that's going to be a different double standard than men.

• 26:35Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 26:36Alex Cooper?

  Do you feel like when you are still doing interviews like this, though, a part of younger Alex Morgan, like the superstar, but also the role model, like you have to fight against not leaning into that like PR side of yourself because you trained yourself for so many years?

• 26:53Speaker 03

  Yeah, a little bit. I think it is definitely like, okay, it's okay to like open up. It's okay to share, to share things and be vulnerable. Whereas for so long, it was like just say the right thing. Like do something that makes it you look like in a positive way as a representation of so many people. So it is, it is changing your mindset a little.

• 27:15Alex Cooper?

  I have to commend you, though. I think it was the right decision back in the day. Like, I don't know if I would have changed anything because I agree with you. I don't think the world was ready in the way that now women in sports are slowly able through social media also to have control of their narrative. You were completely beholden.

• 27:31Speaker 03

  We're able to have control of our narrative because like we have people like you able to talk about this on TV. Like it was only men talking about that back then. So they were forming the narrative. The reporters, there was mostly, I would look out, I would be at a press conference on the table. I'd be looking out. It'd be mostly men. Now it's like, it's really is split. In a lot of ways, a lot more women have entered into sports in a great way.

• 27:56Alex Cooper?

  2019 World Cup, I have to talk about the tea. You celebrated a goal against England by pretending to sip tea and the internet and the news.

• 28:08Speaker 03

  Oh, all of Britain hated me. Hated me.

• 28:11Alex Cooper?

  Alex. Why do you think people, what did you do? You literally were just like sipping tea.

• 28:18Speaker 03

  Well, I scored.

• 28:19Alex Cooper?

  Right. Yes, you did, sweetie. Yes, you did. Don't leave that out. You scored and you celebrated.

• 28:26Speaker 03

  I celebrated and I went over and I sipped some tea in front of, in front of the world and Britain as we beat them. Um, yes, I did that. And then they came after me with vengeance. And I was like, I just wanted to celebrate. I never celebrate. I never, ever had a celebration planned, ever. Look up any other celebration. You will not find one more. I had one celebration my whole life. It's the tea. And people wanted to kill me over it.

• 28:58Alex Cooper?

  Wait, wait, wait. Take me back to that moment. You go and you do this. In that moment, you were just like reacting and it felt right and you didn't plan it, whatever.

• 29:07Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 29:08Alex Cooper?

  Did you have any idea?

• 29:10Speaker 03

  None.

• 29:11Alex Cooper?

  And then when did you find out the amount of backlash? Like immediately after the game?

• 29:14Speaker 03

  Oh, my God, it just built like after the game, the next day, two days later, three days later. Like I had to like change. I had to be like, I don't know. It was off the cuff. It had nothing to do with Britain and how you guys like tea. I, it was like, I was like, this is kind of crazy. Can you guys stop coming after me?

• 29:32Alex Cooper?

  Meanwhile, again, I'm sorry, but we have to do it. Like, can we pull up every absolutely fucking insane? Dance, gesture, weird shit that guys have done?

• 29:44Speaker 03

  The gestures.

• 29:45Alex Cooper?

  The gestures.

• 29:46Speaker 03

  Yeah, we know.

• 29:48Alex Cooper?

  But you sip some tea. You're like, I took a fucking sip of tea and they're like, you're dead. Meanwhile, men are doing some crazy shit at that, like on the end zone. And people are like, gorgeous.

• 30:01Speaker 03

  That's my player.

• 30:02Alex Cooper?

  Yeah, that's my man. Damn, he's so cool. He's so hot.

• 30:05Speaker 03

  I'm a bias jersey because of that.

• 30:07Alex Cooper?

  Meanwhile, they're like, you're canceled because of that.

• 30:09Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 30:10Alex Cooper?

  Smile and just go back to the fucking line and get ready.

• 30:13Speaker 03

  Oh, man.

• 30:13Alex Cooper?

  Crazy.

• 30:14Speaker 03

  I'm still waiting for my tea sponsorship.

• 30:16Alex Cooper?

  Oh, my God. Honestly, Lipton come through. Um, imagine.

• 30:21Speaker 03

  I know.

• 30:21Alex Cooper?

  Wait, that actually is like genius. They should do it right now. Come on, guys. You still can do it. There's still time.

• 30:43Alex Cooper?

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• 32:09Alex Cooper?

  What message do you think it sends when we expect female athletes to be overly humble and to essentially downplay their success?

• 32:21Speaker 03

  Not a great one. But again, I've... Men have been in front of the narrative the whole time. So they're so now I just feel like things have changed. Like I just love when I see an 18 year old, when I see Trinity Rodman like showing up and being like, this is me. Take it or leave it. Like, I don't care. I love that.

• 32:47Alex Cooper?

  Yeah, I agree. Um, let's talk about the double standards of how did you feel when a large part of the conversation at times throughout your career was about your looks?

• 33:01Speaker 03

  Oh, man. I mean, it was, yeah. You know, it's, I can't complain. I got a lot of, I got a lot of opportunities because of it. Um, but it was like, sometimes really, um, it was like, I, it was cringey. Like, I would go on the internet and be like, this is weird. This is really weird.

• 33:28Alex Cooper?

  What do you remember sticking out to you of like, just some comments that you remember?

• 33:33Speaker 03

  Well, I, I don't know. It was, it was like going to an autograph signing and just having a guy come up with like, all of my swimsuit pictures and being like, oh, I want to just add to the collection in my man cave. And I'm like, TMI, like, I don't care. I don't care. Don't like, don't tell me. Don't tell me what you're doing with this. Please. Like, this is weird.

• 34:02Alex Cooper?

  Yeah, it's so crazy. Cause it's like, you were one of the best on the field. And then in so many moments, like when I was researching for this, I was reading through so many moments, like in 2015, going into the World Cup semifinals, FIFA posted an article calling you a talented goal scorer with a, with a style that is very easy on the eye and, and good looks to match. And it's like,

• 34:29Alex Cooper?

  Wait, what? And then there was like a thing that like I remember reading that was all about how like your bronzed body like I'm like, what in the fuck is happening?

• 34:38Speaker 03

  It's like our talents aren't good enough. They gotta like find something for clickbait. I don't know.

• 34:43Alex Cooper?

  And I remember reading, it was one, I think for the Olympics where someone was saying like, half of it is like, yeah, to go see the women on the field. And then the other fun part of watching the game is to decide like, who's the most good looking on the field?

• 34:55Speaker 03

  Listen, I don't care why you buy the ticket to go to the game. As long as you're buying the ticket, whatever. Like you can think whatever you want to think. I don't want to know your thoughts. You come to the game, you buy the ticket, you buy the jersey. Great. I'm going to get a piece of that.

• 35:17Speaker 03

  That's all I was thinking.

• 35:18Alex Cooper?

  Yeah, it's kind of how you have to think, right?

• 35:20Speaker 03

  How you have to think.

• 35:22Alex Cooper?

  When in private moments with your husband or your family, like, did you ever open up about how it was impacting you? Like, were you ever like embarrassed showing up to the field because people are treating you different than some of your teammates? Were you ever self-conscious more? I know that would be confusing to people, but when people are focusing so much on your looks, are you feeling like you have to have your hair perfect and your makeup perfect? Like, how did it impact you personally?

• 35:45Speaker 03

  Well, I, I mean, I honestly like dealt with a lot of acne in my career and or just like in my life. Actually, it literally just cleared up when I stopped playing because I stopped like lathering with sunscreen like every 30 minutes on my face and putting lots of makeup on and sweating and everything like suddenly, I mean, your face just clears up when you're like not throwing shit on it of all day, every day in the sun. So yeah, I was super self-conscious because I knew in a lot of ways, like a lot of the conversation was about my looks. Um, and

• 36:24Speaker 03

  But it, but also, I mean, I did like Sports Illustrated swimsuit. I've done things where it does like put my looks or my body on display and I'm fully aware of that as well.

• 36:37Speaker 03

  But yeah, there it, it, it got weird sometimes, but I think again, like I had this mentality where I just never wanted to overanalyze something. Like I didn't want to think through really why someone was over fixating on my looks. Or like why there was a dumb headline about not how many goals I scored, but how high my pony was and how, I don't know. How nice my eyelashes looked or whatever it might be.

• 37:07Alex Cooper?

  What was the experience like with your teammates?

• 37:09Speaker 03

  For the most part, it was fine. I mean, like most of my teammates were really, like we were all super supportive of each other. I, I'd say there was like one or two teammates that were like, well, I don't, I don't wear makeup like some of my teammates. And so I don't really try to like put myself out there like that, you know? And they would say a comment like that and you're like, really? Like, did you have to go there? I, so it would, you just kind of brush it off and you're like, okay, I fully am aware. We don't all have to be best friends. We don't even have to like each other. We just have to play together.

• 37:45Alex Cooper?

  You have to have a mutual respect when you're playing where it's like each woman is going to do their own thing. Let's support each other, whether you want to glam up or not, like who gives a fuck?

• 37:56Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 37:56Alex Cooper?

  All you should care about is that I'm going to play well. Bye.

• 38:00Speaker 03

  Literally, that's it.

• 38:01Alex Cooper?

  Um, I remember when you announced your pregnancy and people immediately were freaking the fuck out. Alex, they were like, oh my God.

• 38:10Speaker 03

  So was I.

• 38:11Alex Cooper?

  Well, yeah, we're going to get to that. Yeah. You're like, oh, hello. Um, everyone was like, what is this going to do to her body? What is this going to do for her ability to play the sport? Like, talk to me about your reaction, like you just said, pregnancy, and then also your reaction to the public's reaction to your pregnancy.

• 38:30Speaker 03

  So when I got pregnant with my first Charlie, this was when I was 29. So like height of my career. Now, I mean, players like Mel Swanson and Sophia Smith, Sophia Wilson are pregnant and they're like 24, 28. Like, I think that's how old they are.

• 38:46Alex Cooper?

  Yeah.

• 38:47Speaker 03

  Literally so much career ahead of them and it's so amazing that they're able to do both have a family, be moms and play and have a very long career. But at the time it was not so common. So yeah, people were definitely like, how could she do this? I can't like she's never gonna get back to where she was before. I mean, not even getting into like my looks, but just like the talent and being able to like play at the level again. And I myself had a little bit of fear for that before I got pregnant. And once I got pregnant, I was in go mode. I was like, no, I'm gonna get back to playing. I'm gonna have my daughter. I'm gonna show my daughter

• 39:29Speaker 03

  the world and it's gonna be great. And I'm gonna like do everything I set my mind to and wanna accomplish after like starting a family. But yeah, it was, it was not like the happy like, congrats, and we can't wait like for you to have your baby and get back out on the field type reception that I initially thought it would be.

• 39:53Alex Cooper?

  Right. It was kind of like, what are you doing?

• 39:55Speaker 03

  It was like, why would you choose? Why would you choose that over your career? Like you are in the height of your career.

• 40:03Alex Cooper?

  And talk to me about your decision to start a family at that point in the middle of your career.

• 40:07Speaker 03

  It goes back to honestly, like owning who we were in 2019. Like we won and we were like, this is us, take it or leave it. And I always wanted to be a mom. And honestly, like the confidence that I had growing through that year between the lawsuit, between winning the World Cup, scoring many goals, getting like the silver boot in the, in the World Cup. Like, I felt really good about myself. And after that, I was like, I've done everything I've wanted to do. I'm not done playing soccer, but I have been able to accomplish everything

• 40:46Speaker 03

  I've wanted to. Now it's my turn in life to do what I want to do. Like, and so it was, it was the right time for me.

• 40:55Alex Cooper?

  And that's all that matters. And I think.

• 40:59Alex Cooper?

  The difficulty of being someone that represents the country in these moments is a lot of people feel like they then should have a say on you and your life and all these things. And meanwhile, which we're going to get to, you're like, oh, maybe if I was even being treated well, but guys, like, let's, let's calm down. You all care about us, which I now being involved in the league, I'm like, it's like, we have to stop just pretending it's every four years. But it's like, for you guys, it's like, people caring about women's sports for the Olympics or the World Cup. And then it's like, they act like they have a hold over your life. But it's like, this is my life 24/7. You guys are getting to

• 41:42Alex Cooper?

  see me in these big moments, but I'm putting my body on the line throughout the whole year. And like, I want to do something for myself, and that's okay. But it is crazy that people make you feel like, no, this should be a joint decision of the country. Put it on your Instagram story, and let's all do a poll, if Alex is allowed to have a kid or not. Like, that's literally how crazy people are. They think that they deserve a say in your life.

• 42:04Speaker 03

  Yeah. And it is a really private thing to get pregnant, and then to share your pregnancy, not only with your friends and family, but like, with your teammates in the world. So it was a really scary moment. Like, I was like, going to the doctor's appointment, like, really secretively, and this, you know, having conflicted emotions, like, I'm so excited, but also, like, I can't have one person see me going into this doctor, or else, like, it's gonna blow up on the internet, or like, I don't know who I can tell without, like, sharing this really private information that I don't want shared. So just going through

• 42:46Speaker 03

  my club team, and the NWSL Orlando at the time, and the national team, it was, it was like, it was really scary, like, treading that while also, like, it-

• 42:57Speaker 03

  Supposed supposed to be being like one of the most happiest moments of my life too.

• 43:02Alex Cooper?

  Right. And you're navigating it in fear and secrecy a little bit.

• 43:07Speaker 03

  Oh, yeah. Which I know I'm I'm not alone. I know a lot of women deal with that as well.

• 43:12Alex Cooper?

  Yes. When you have your child and you go back to playing, talk to me about navigating being a mother and also being a professional athlete and how were you navigating those first few years?

• 43:29Speaker 03

  It was not easy. Let me rephrase that. It was very difficult. Um, because there was, there was like no, there was no rules. There was no standard for moms like in the NWSL or even on the national team. Like, we had to write, I had to draft up an agreement with the general manager at Orlando, like that my daughter could travel with me and a childcare provider, like a nanny, and also that they could come into tea meals. Like, they pushed back on like coming into the meal room. I'm like, no, I need my daughter to like, she needs to be with me.

• 44:08Speaker 03

  Or like going in the locker room. It's like, no, my daughter's gonna come with me into the locker room and she can go like to the suite or whatever when I'm ready for her to go. Or even like having a ticket to a suite, not like in the stands with fans. Like, no, I'm not having my one-year-old daughter like in the stands with fans asking for a photo of my one-year-old. That's weird. So it was just like, right, like it was writing all these rules that had never been written before. And I was like, oh, my God. I've, I've seen players have kids before in soccer and on the national team. How do they, how did they do this with even less like resources and support than I do?

• 44:49Speaker 03

  So it was, it was interesting because I was like being pulled in a million directions and I was trying to be a great mom and I was trying to be a great soccer player, but I was also now having to like write new rules and advocate for all moms in the future in soccer. And so it was just like a lot at once. So.

• 45:06Alex Cooper?

  Just a little bit, just a, just a little bit at once.

• 45:09Speaker 03

  You can tell like I'm like really passionate about this subject.

• 45:12Alex Cooper?

  Well, you, as you should be because it's like you, when you started to live it again, Alex, I feel like there were so many moments in your career where it was kind of thrust upon you to like be the face of these moments. And you're not even sitting here being like, I didn't want to be. It definitely wasn't something you were asking for. It does show your inner strength that like in all of these moments, you were able to be like, I've never done this before. I have no one basically that can kind of like guide me unless one, the first conversation we had at the beginning of this is like your rise to fame and this like intense pressure that was put on you for your looks and your game and all of it. I guess you could have called Mia, but there's like one or two, three women in the world that you could be calling to ask this.

• 45:54Alex Cooper?

  Then you're going through the mom thing, realizing you are one of these star players who has

• 46:01Alex Cooper?

  a little bit more privilege than maybe some of the other women.

• 46:04Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 46:04Alex Cooper?

  But still, it's like, I didn't I read somewhere where you were like, I'm in the back of the plane with my daughter on my lap and we're going to like the Olympics or something like what happened with that?

• 46:15Speaker 03

  There's been many, um, many situations like that, but definitely my daughter was, so I was go, I had just got traded to San Diego. I was so excited about playing, playing for San Diego. Um, and then to be a cell and this was like three years ago and my daughter was one, one and a half, I think. So a one and a half year old, you know, is running around. They're very active. They're, they're not an infant. Like they, they weigh like 25, 30 pounds, maybe more. And I got like on the bus and I got a ticket for my seat and it was like 27B. And I got one ticket and I was like, I have my daughter with me. They're like, yeah, well, she's

• 47:00Speaker 03

  under two, so she, she could sit on your lap. And I was like, I'm 27B. With, this is like three years ago, with my one and a half year old on my lap and we're going from San Diego to New York. Excuse me? I was like, and back to the privilege thing, I said, I'm sorry, I cannot go on this trip if you don't get a seat for my daughter. This is not happening. This is not, I, I will walk off this bus. And they got me a ticket for my daughter. And I feel fortunate to be in that situation, to be able to have said that and set then a standard

• 47:42Speaker 03

  across the league for now it being a child one and over, having their own seat. Um, I feel like a child should have their own seat regardless. It doesn't matter if they're like two months old.

• 47:53Alex Cooper?

  I agree with you, Alex.

• 47:54Speaker 03

  You bring, you bring the car seat and you put it in the seat so we can get off of the plane and go play our sport and go, go run around without our legs going numb. So it, there was a lot of challenges to work through, a lot of barriers, um, to break down.

• 48:13Alex Cooper?

  But it's incredible like that you got, again, you speaking up in that moment now is going to change women's lives in the future in this league. And I'm going to get there because I know now being involved, there's so much change that is happening in the NWSL, which is amazing.

• 48:28Speaker 03

  It's amazing.

• 48:29Alex Cooper?

  It's incredible, but I do want to first get to equal pay. Okay, girl. So I realize I have like also a pretty young audience that also tunes in.

• 48:44Alex Cooper?

  So I want you to kind of explain this. So obviously one of the most, most, most forever legendary things that you did in your entire career, we're talking about world cups and we're talking about Olympics and we're talking about all the things is you advocating for and achieving equal pay. And for my listeners who may not be as familiar, can you talk about what led you and your teammates to sue the US Soccer Federation for equal pay?

• 49:10Speaker 03

  Yes, we sued our employer in 2019, three months before we went to the World Cup.

• 49:17Speaker 03

  So this started back in 2015. We won the World Cup, first time in 16 years. All of a sudden, had like sold out stadiums. We were seeing revenue. We were generating revenue for US Soccer like never before. We were getting sponsors coming to US Soccer saying we want to work with the women. US Soccer doesn't do sponsors for only the women's or men's team. They bundle them together. US Soccer is like one umbrella. Sponsors come and they get everything. So we were seeing this. The books are open.

• 49:54Speaker 03

  US Soccer Federation is like, like a company in order, you can see the taxes that, you know, you can see the, the returns at the end of the year. So you're like, okay, I know what you're making. I know what we're generating. This is an adding up. So 2016 comes around, we file, we file a motion with the EEOC, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. And it goes nowhere. Like it sits, it sits, it's three years, go by. And we know that we are bringing money into US Soccer. However, we are getting paid, for example, like per game,

• 50:35Speaker 03

  1,500 for a win, like zero for a tie, zero for a loss. The men, I'm throwing this out there, but I think it's almost accurate. 12,000 for a win. Like it was like astronomically different. Like, like at the end of the year, we were making, if you played in every single game, you're making maybe like 85, 90,000. Men, if they were to play the same amount of games as us, win the same amount of times as us, like 400 plus thousand dollars. Like it was, it was so. Different. There was such a gap that we were like, and then we were seeing what we were generating,

• 51:17Speaker 03

  like the revenue we were generating for them. And we're like, this doesn't make sense in terms of what we're bringing in, but also we're doing the same job for the same company as the men, but getting paid vastly different and getting treated vastly different. We're sitting in 27B and the men are in 2A. So we're like, this is not adding up at all. And like, don't get me started also on FIFA and how we had to also, and they've come a long way, but back in 2015, there was, there was a lot of challenges also on that front. So we went to U.S. Soccer and we filed a lawsuit. We sued them. And

• 51:58Alex Cooper?

  Was it all of you? How many of?

• 51:59Speaker 03

  It was every single, it was every single current player except for one. Yeah. Everyone. And that was the only reason we actually got to where we are today in, in achieving equal pay back in 2022, plus back pay, plus millions of dollars of back pay, was because of us 25, 30 players getting on calls with the lawyers every week, doing depositions, doing multiple failed settlements in Chicago, in New York, like taking our own time to fly to New York to hear them bullshit us time and time again.

• 52:44Alex Cooper?

  When you guys decided to do this, were you, did you all deliberate beforehand? Like, what are the risks? And like,

• 52:53Speaker 03

  We did.

• 52:54Alex Cooper?

  Okay, so you guys were not-

• 52:56Speaker 03

  The risk was like, you could be cut. The risk was like, you might not have a future in soccer. The like, the risks were like, big. I mean, they were like, The media can turn against you and you can lose your sponsorships. You can like, which by the way, sponsorships were like doing like the work off of the field for a lot of us was in a lot of ways for for me, especially it was like 90 to 95% of my annual income. Like soccer was like five to 10% of my annual income, but I spent like 90 to 95% of my time on it.

• 53:31Alex Cooper?

  Talk to me about once this went public because I know everyone was like you guys, one of your biggest fears was the public, right? And I know that it was a little divided. Like I think a lot of people publicly were in support, but then there were definitely people that were vocal being like, no, you guys are being greedy. Like this is not, you guys shouldn't be doing this. What do you remember feeling when you started to hear these negative reactions?

• 53:57Speaker 03

  I I was really saddened, but I wasn't like surprised. Um, I remember specifically going to the US Soccer Annual Board because I was on the Athletes Council. And you get a chance to like speak at the end. If you want, there's a microphone, like a hot mic. And one of the board members from another board, it's like, there's like 300 people in the room. He gets on the mic and he goes, our women's team is so disappointing. They disgust me. They don't deserve to be paid what they're asking for. They don't even deserve what they're getting now. He goes on and on for five minutes and after you hear

• 54:41Speaker 03

  people in the room clapping like at the US Soccer Annual Board meeting and us athletes were mortified, like embarrassed on his behalf, but also like this is who's making the decisions in this room? Okay, we, we have a lot of work to do.

• 54:58Alex Cooper?

  And how fucking scary you're all sitting there.

• 55:01Speaker 03

  Sitting there.

• 55:01Alex Cooper?

  And people are just clapping.

• 55:03Speaker 03

  This is after we won back to back World Cups.

• 55:07Alex Cooper?

  I know, and I'm sorry.

• 55:08Speaker 03

  After like they're fully aware of the books too, like what's going on with the finances.

• 55:12Alex Cooper?

  I was gonna say, no shade, but I guess this is shade. Like you guys were objectively so much fucking better than the men. The men's team was sucking ass. You guys were winning everything. And I think everyone's probably like, what is happening? Like, how are they? It's one thing if people are even trying and their fucked up brains to be like, the men are getting paid more because they're, they're doing better in their league or whatever the fuck. It doesn't matter. You guys are doing the same job and you're having insane income and the men are getting all of these profits and you guys are getting chump change? Like it made-

• 55:46Speaker 03

  That's what I thought. That's, yeah.

• 55:48Alex Cooper?

  Thank you.

• 55:48Speaker 03

  Cause I- We're on the same page here.

• 55:50Alex Cooper?

  I think people with at least-

• 55:51Speaker 03

  Do you know what US Soccer said?

• 55:53Alex Cooper?

  What?

• 55:53Speaker 03

  Their main, their main statement, we had to submit court documents, like basically saying like how, basically saying why we deserve equal pay and US Soccer saying why we didn't.

• 56:05Alex Cooper?

  Yep.

• 56:06Speaker 03

  Their main argument was that the man bears more responsibility because they,

• 56:17Speaker 03

  what was it? They bear more responsibility because they are inherently faster and stronger. They, because it takes more strength and speed by a man. And so the responsibility is greater. So basically saying like, women are inherently inferior. Doesn't that, we dragged them. They retracted that statement later.

• 56:43Alex Cooper?

  They're like, we're so fucking embarrassing. We're sorry. Jesus Christ. But that's what's so fucking scary is people genuinely like believe this shit.

• 56:54Speaker 03

  Multiple eyes on that before they submitted that. And they thought that that was the right thing to say, like, yeah, we believe this. Men are superior because of their muscles. Like, I'm sorry, what?

• 57:08Alex Cooper?

  While you're in the midst of this, I can't like, I'm like, where do I even go from there?

• 57:12Speaker 03

  Like, you know, when you're really uncomfortable and you just laugh because you're just like, this is, I don't know what else to do with my face.

• 57:18Alex Cooper?

  No, literally, like, we're laughing and it's pathetic and it's so fucking sad, though, because it's like, women's sports is such a good representation of how women are not equal in this fucking country.

• 57:31Speaker 03

  Yeah. But hey, we're getting there.

• 57:35Alex Cooper?

  Well, that's where we're getting there. Also, just so you guys know, as you're listening, we're getting there because it actually is going to get better. I know we're in the trenches right now and we're like, fuck this shit, but we're getting there because it does get better. Um, okay. Talk to me about, though, about the headspace, I do think, which is interesting to know as an athlete of like, you're in this legal battle for six years, but you're still having to play for the organization that you're suing.

• 57:58Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 57:58Alex Cooper?

  What was that mentally like, showing up every day, being like?

• 58:03Speaker 03

  A mindfuck, for sure. Like, it was like, hey, Alex, like, like, you all are coming to me, can you do this interview? Can you do this feature ball? And I'm like, thinking to myself, why would I do anything for you guys? But then I'm thinking to myself, well, if we come, if we do the, if we settle, if I win, win this lawsuit, then, you know, we are going to be besties again. And eventually, I do want you to pay me more. So like, do I, do I go the extra mile for you? Um, we had so many really heated conversations with the president of U.S. Soccer, who had to step down because of very poor decisions that he made, very poor, um, comments that he made.

• 58:43Speaker 03

  Um, I, I mean, the amount of times I had to wake up at 2:15 a.m. on the West Coast to do a hit, um, on TV to talk about the lawsuit, countless. I, and this is like, then you wake up at 2:15, you do the hair and makeup, you go on TV, you do like, the six-minute hit with Robin Roberts, and then you go home and you wash your makeup off and you go to training, and then you're exhausted. And you're like, I just feel like I worked a full day, but, oh yeah, I forgot, I'm not getting paid enough at all for what I'm doing.

• 59:19Alex Cooper?

  Talk to me about when you guys win this lawsuit and like realizing that you had achieved equal pay. Where were you and what did it mean to you?

• 59:33Speaker 03

  It meant everything. So US Soccer hired Cindy Parlocon, who was a national team, a women's national team player, scored many goals, very good player. She became US Soccer president. Also, that was a voluntary position. Like, you did not get paid to do that. So when she came in charge of that, we were like, okay, we, we got one on the inside. We got this. Still got to convince that board. But, uh, but we got this. And, um, when we settled and achieved equal pay and millions, over $20 million back pay, I was holding my daughter when we signed it. My daughter was three years old, uh, two and a half, three years old. And it was a really

• 1:00:18Speaker 03

  special moment because it was, I mean, you got to think like over 500 hours of our own time put into something that like you never knew if it was going to ever happen. Like, you didn't know how you were going to be seen as. You didn't know if this was going to work out. You didn't know like what kind of effect this could possibly even have in sports.

• 1:00:43Alex Cooper?

  And the emotional toll that I can imagine it took on you. Also, you knowing like, I'm not someone that's probably going to see the most benefits from this because I'm closer to be on, being on my way out of this league.

• 1:00:58Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 1:00:58Alex Cooper?

  But knowing that you did this and you fought this fight because now it's going to impact so many women now to come to this league is incredible that you guys did this.

• 1:01:26Alex Cooper?

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• 1:02:11Alex Cooper?

  Like after a night out with friends where splitting the bottle of wine was obviously the financially responsible decision, or when you have an insanely early flight that felt totally reasonable to book in the moment, but now it's 4 a.m. and you are still half asleep, and trying to find a parking spot at a packed concert. Yeah, that is going to take longer than the actual concert will take, but thankfully that's where Uber comes in. With Uber, you can get a ride in minutes because where there are plans happening in your area, there are drivers in your area. Last week, I went to dinner with my girlfriends and while I love this restaurant, the parking situation is an actual nightmare. So instead of making my car my problem for the night, I requested an Uber, got dropped off right at the restaurant, super easy.

• 1:02:55Alex Cooper?

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• 1:03:02Alex Cooper?

  I remember when I decided to get involved with the NWSL. I think that was one of like my first conversations that I had with the current commissioner, Jessica Berman. I remember I sat with her in New York City and I had a meeting with her and I...

• 1:03:21Alex Cooper?

  Had like opportunities to put my hydration drink with like, you know, in certain areas. And I was like, I want soccer, but like, what are we doing for these women? And how is this changing? And I will tell you, the almost one of the single handed reasons that I decided to sign that contract with the NWSL is because of that woman. She is the commissioner, the way that she's talking about like, she's owning, like, I cannot believe what has happened in the past. And I come from the male sports side and my goal in my literal life right now, and I see her sacrificing her time with her family and everything as all the other athletes are doing is like, I'm going to make change. And I know it's not going to happen overnight.

• 1:04:02Alex Cooper?

  And I remember she had told me, she's like, in my office, I have framed, um, Burnett when, um, Rapinoe literally tweeted and was like, fucking Burnett. Like, she's like, I look at that every single day and I'm like, I am going to work my ass off to support and protect these women. And to me, that is also a product of you and all the women who stood there because it's like, now every single time we chip away at this, it's not going to change overnight, but it's getting better. So as fucked up as all this was, thank you for all the work that you did because now all these women who are playing right now wouldn't have had the rights that they do. And I know they still are probably want to go fight for more things, but you guys got

• 1:04:44Alex Cooper?

  the ball rolling in a way that is going to change generationally women's sports.

• 1:04:49Speaker 03

  Yeah, honestly, that's, yeah, thank you. Just taking ownership is so important and like, holding yourself accountable and knowing that like, we all have a part to play. And also, we likely won't reap the benefits of what we're fighting for, but the hope is that our kids will. Like, my hope is, my daughter knows nothing other than equal. She knows nothing other than having as much access to a soccer field, to, um, the best like, coaches, to the best opportunities, um, because I played some small part in it.

• 1:05:30Speaker 03

  I, I look at these young players coming into the NWSL and I'm like, yeah, you have that confidence. Yeah, you walk in there proudly and you ask for what you deserve. Because in a lot of ways, like, that's what we fought for, but we didn't have that opportunity. I mean, Players first contracts, the first year of the NWSL that I played in, aging myself, dating myself, um, was $6,000, not a month for the season. $6,000 to play in the NWSL for the season. Players are getting over $500,000 now to play and maybe in three years, a million, and maybe in three more years, five million, who knows? It started with those players.

• 1:06:15Alex Cooper?

  It's crazy to think about. I also just couldn't help but think as you're saying that, how many women listen to this show and it's like, this doesn't have to just be applicable to sports. I think sometimes when you as a woman want to try to create change, whether it's at your job or socially or whatever it be, like, it can feel really disorienting because you're essentially, most of the time, the only woman in the room. Like, even as, although we're talking about women's sports, you're like, all of the people we're in the room with are these men that are making these decisions, right? And so, I think this is one of the most concrete, incredible examples of, yes, it, you may not completely reap the benefits

• 1:06:58Alex Cooper?

  of the fight that you go towards to get more equality for women in your sector of wherever you are in life. But this is a perfect example. Your daughter now, if she decides to go and play, she is going to have a better life because of you. And how fucking cool is that?

• 1:07:14Speaker 03

  And hopefully in or out of sport.

• 1:07:16Alex Cooper?

  Yeah. Um, let's talk about your retirement. You said that you had an epiphany talking to your husband one night, that this was what needed to happen.

• 1:07:25Speaker 03

  Over some red wine.

• 1:07:26Alex Cooper?

  Your teeth are stained, you're like, babe, it's over. It's like, um, go brush your teeth.

• 1:07:31Speaker 03

  Yeah.

• 1:07:31Alex Cooper?

  Okay, so you have some wine. What is this conversation like?

• 1:07:37Speaker 03

  It was just like, I'm ready. Like, I'm, I'm ready to have more babies. I'm ready to hang up the boots. I'm ready to have my weekends free. And I'm, I'm just, I'm, I feel like I did anything and everything I could have ever dreamed of and beyond in soccer. There's like, nothing left that I feel like I need to accomplish.

• 1:08:07Alex Cooper?

  What was the hardest part of making the decision?

• 1:08:10Speaker 03

  The hardest part was telling people. That, yeah, it, it wasn't making the decision. Honestly, once I made the decision, it was like, The biggest weight off of my shoulders. I just like came to training. No one knew at this time, you know, this is March or April and I didn't retire till September. I came to training like just like happy and like this is my, I don't know. My last first soccer game in 2025, you know, 2020, what was it? Four, what year are we in, Jesus? But it was, it was just like a lightness that I had never, that I hadn't had for years.

• 1:08:47Speaker 03

  I think just like carrying not only the pressure that I had on myself, but also the weight of like being in a way like the face of the league and a way like carrying myself in a positive way.

• 1:09:03Speaker 03

  All day, every day in front of cameras, whatever it may be like I, I just feel like it was, it was a lot and I didn't know. I didn't know until I made the decision that then I was like, there's this lightness to me. What is this?

• 1:09:17Alex Cooper?

  And yeah, I was gonna say like, aren't you like, isn't your body exhausted?

• 1:09:22Speaker 03

  Yeah, exhausted. You get older and you're like, oh shit, I have these 18 year old teammates and I cannot keep up. It's time.

• 1:09:29Alex Cooper?

  Where you're like, I'm, I'm in pain. Like I gotta go. Like you deserve to relax.

• 1:09:35Speaker 03

  Thank you. I think so too.

• 1:09:37Alex Cooper?

  You do, Alex. Did you ask any one of your like former teammates for any advice on like how to approach announcing a retirement? Or did you just like let it rip on your own?

• 1:09:47Speaker 03

  I actually looked up a lot of retirement like announcements. I, I saw Abby's. I was a really, I had a front row view of Pino's because hers was right before the World Cup in 23 and she was retiring at the end of the year. So I like saw the way a lot of people announced their retirement and did their official like video or whatever it may be. And I just was like, yeah, I want to just like speak directly to everyone and I want to lay it all out there. And then surprise, I got pregnant. So retirement happened a little bit quicker.

• 1:10:24Alex Cooper?

  I know. I love that. You're like, oh, by the way, also retiring and I'm pregnant.

• 1:10:27Speaker 03

  That was not the, that was a, that was a surprise for sure. Yep. I'm one of those.

• 1:10:32Alex Cooper?

  I love it though.

• 1:10:33Speaker 03

  I won't get pregnant. I got pregnant. Oh my God.

• 1:10:36Alex Cooper?

  But what a nice thing to then look forward to. You're like peace out and I have another one on the way.

• 1:10:40Speaker 03

  Extremely stressful for like two weeks. I was like, I was actually talking with my manager and I was like, okay. Or they were like, we have this great like run, like runway to retirement and like your announcement. And then you're going to get your flowers and then this and then that. And I'm thinking to myself like, shit, I gotta tell them. I really gotta tell them that my time's coming.

• 1:11:04Alex Cooper?

  Oh my God.

• 1:11:05Speaker 03

  So yeah, there was supposed to be a call about figuring out the next three months. And I was like, no, I actually am coming up on three months pregnant and I need to retire like this weekend. Like I'm three months pregnant and I can't do it anymore. I can't hide it. I can't play. I can't do it.

• 1:11:22Alex Cooper?

  Your jersey is officially being retired. Congratulations. I mean, that's

• 1:11:28Speaker 03

  Thanks.

• 1:11:30Alex Cooper?

  epic in a lot of ways, but like, how do you feel about it?

• 1:11:34Speaker 03

  So good. I, I just never even thought that that was a possibility, I guess. Um, you just, I mean, you see male athletes get their jersey retired. But I don't know, as a female athlete, there goes a double standard again. You just don't like think that that will happen to me because I'm a female athlete. So it's, uh, it's incredible. I, it's, it'll, it's a proud moment for me. And now having my son and my daughter and be able to go out on the field and wave to everybody and have two kids, um, and a family and just be really happy and at peace where I left the game.

• 1:12:11Alex Cooper?

  It's incredible.

• 1:12:12Speaker 03

  And now be an investor in the team.

• 1:12:15Alex Cooper?

  I know. I was gonna say.

• 1:12:16Speaker 03

  That I'm getting my jersey retired from. Um, yeah.

• 1:12:20Alex Cooper?

  Talk to me about the decision to invest in San Diego.

• 1:12:25Speaker 03

  Well, you, you did your research as well with, um, Unwell and where to bring it. And I did mine as well. I, you know, I gave everything to this league since the very start. I was one of, I, I don't even know if there maybe be might be one or two more players currently playing that played in the league back in 2013 when it first started, when there was nothing, when there were no showers after a game in a locker room.

• 1:12:52Alex Cooper?

  You're like, I am OG and don't forget it.

• 1:12:55Speaker 03

  Yeah, don't forget it.

• 1:12:58Speaker 03

  But I'm really proud of where the league has come and I'm proud of what the small part, small or maybe not, I don't know, of the part I partook in that in creating a league that is sustainable, that

• 1:13:13Speaker 03

  that can create stars, global stars, that is viewed over multiple platforms weekly. That also wasn't the case in 2013.

• 1:13:24Alex Cooper?

  No, it was not.

• 1:13:25Speaker 03

  Couldn't barely get a tweet back then.

• 1:13:29Speaker 03

  So I, I, I'm just, yeah, I, I wanted to be able to invest back in the league at the team level and to be in San Diego and raise my kids there and have them have also like some ownership over an affiliation with the team more than just like mom played there. We go to the games now. My daughter was like jumping up and down with her posters. She's waving at all of the players, like trying to get their, trying to get their attention, them like waving back dirt. It's so great.

• 1:13:59Alex Cooper?

  It's so cool to hear you talk about, you know, getting invested now in the league in a different way than being a player, but basically being like part of the ownership. And I would just like, want to say, because I this year obviously have gone to more NWSL games now with my partnership with them and like to women listening, I think when you're in high school, when you're in college and when you're in your twenties, thirties and so on, like I think a lot of times, especially with social media, we feel like where is my social life and where can I meet people and where can I get out and actually be in physical with other women that are like-minded and now every single NWSL game that I've gone to, I

• 1:14:43Alex Cooper?

  number one, have met actually some of my heroes, like when I met Brandy Chastain, the other. Month, I was like, okay, well, young Alex actually is like alive inside right now and is thriving and is crying. And so if you were ever a soccer fan, there's always former players that you know their names and you can run into and it's really cool. But then also the current players are so incredible and their personalities you see online, which is fun to be able to follow them and then go and see them in real life. But I would say also for people that maybe aren't as sports oriented, the biggest draw was people go and just go to have a nice time and meet people and

• 1:15:20Speaker 03

  It's a very welcoming environment.

• 1:15:22Alex Cooper?

  It is.

• 1:15:23Speaker 03

  But also really fun.

• 1:15:24Alex Cooper?

  It is really fun. And I think, again, I know women, sometimes sports can be intimidating if you haven't gotten into sports. And I'm telling you, the easiest way into sports is through women's sports. And the NWSL, we just have so many cool things going on and like giving away jerseys. And I know when we do unwell pop ups, like, it's like fun activations that, I don't know, I just, I hope that people look and invest more in women's sports, because not only are you investing in the players and just women and equality in general, but you're also investing in yourself because you're going to meet women and you're going to make friends in your city or wherever you live. So don't overlook it. Get to these games. It's very fun. I had a great time.

• 1:16:04Speaker 03

  Extremely fun. I mean, look at even all the owners across the board, like, I'm sorry, Natalie Portman?

• 1:16:11Alex Cooper?

  No, like, it's so sexy.

• 1:16:12Speaker 03

  Yes, ma'am.

• 1:16:13Alex Cooper?

  Like, yes, Natalie, like, it's fun. It's really fun. It's cool to see everyone investing. And I appreciate you, though, Alex, because you have paved the way, like you said, since there were literally no showers. And now it's getting sexier, but then you've been there since the non sexy days. Alex, I can't thank you enough for coming. I think like the conversation we had for women, especially right now, is like timely passports of just like everything that's going on in the world. I think women need conversations like this to feel like they have something to look forward to. And I will be honest, I think it's like kind of rare that you get to sit down with a woman that can actually like roll out her portfolio and be like, this is what I advocated for. And this is literally what came of it. So to sit with you and be able to hopefully, one,

• 1:16:57Alex Cooper?

  I'm sure there's a lot of people learning about this story, that maybe it didn't hit their news cycle when it all went down. I'm happy they're going to learn about it. And hopefully this inspires other women to be like, okay, wait, maybe like I am way stronger. And if I get some of my women together, we can actually change some shit around us. And if we did that today, We did our jobs, Alex. We don't need to juggle, honey. Okay? We don't need to pick up a soccer ball anymore. We can just talk about it and we can make change happen.

• 1:17:22Speaker 03

  That's right. Well, thank you for having me on. You are so badass and I love listening and watching you. You've built a fucking empire. So congrats.

• 1:17:31Alex Cooper?

  So have you. Oh, my God. Done. You're amazing.

• 1:17:49Alex Cooper?

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