Alex Morgan Says Being a Mom Has Actually Upped Her Soccer Game — Here's Why (Exclusive)

Photo:Instagram/alexmorgan13 Instagram/alexmorgan13 While most women find that having a kid can impede their physical abilities, soccer starAlex Morgan,who’s about to go into her fourth World Cup, says being a parent to herdaughter Charlie, 3, has only upped her game. “[Parenthood] just makes me feel more balanced all around,” the co-captain of the United States women’s national soccer team (USWNT) and captain of the San Diego Wave tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.

Alex Morgan Says Expecting a Daughter Further 'Validates' Her Fight for Equal Pay

“Having a daughter on the way really validates everything that I’m fighting for,” she toldE! Newson Tuesday. “It really makes me feel like I really am truly setting up the next generation for even greater success than we’re able to attain.” In July, as part of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, Morgan, 30, helped lead her teammates (including co-captainsMegan RapinoeandCarli Lloyd) to the United States’ fourthFIFA Women’s World Cup championship.

Alex Morgan Says It Was 'Really Difficult' to Return to Soccer After Birth of Daughter Charlie

Alex Morganis giving fans an inside look at her motherhood journey. “It was really difficult coming back,” the athlete and TOGETHXR co-founder admits of returning to the soccer pitch, where she helped to lead the U.S. Women’s National Team to the medal stand at the Tokyo Olympics, after becoming a new mom. “Professional soccer aside, it was really hard being a first-time mom, I had to hear time and time again that I was going to be the same player when I came back from pregnancy.

Alex Morgan Says USWNT Loss ‘Hurts,' Emphasizes That Team 'Poured Everything into This World Cup'

Alex Morgan.Photo:Fiona Goodall - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Fiona Goodall - FIFA/FIFA via Getty The Round-of-16 loss was the earliest the two-time defending World Cup champions had ever exited the tournament. A longtime powerhouse in international soccer, the USWNT was attempting to win an unprecedented three-straight World Cup titles – something no country has ever done before in either men’s or women’s soccer. “It hurts and it will for a while but this wound will eventually turn into a scar,” Morgan wrote.

Alex Morgan Says USWNT Wants to 'Inspire the Next Generation of Girls to Play in Sports'

Afterwinning the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Alex Morgan and her teammates now believe that, more than ever, they have a job as role models for the next generation of champions. “As a team, we are always trying to encourage and inspire the next generation of girls to play sports. And I think that we are doing our job in that way,” Morgan told PEOPLE. The US Women’s National Team has made headlines this past year, throughout their constant fight for equal pay.