San Diego Wave retire Alex Morgan's iconic No. 13 jersey - ESPN

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Alex Morgan jerseys filled the concourses and seats of Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, with the iconic No. 13 of every era — from the United States' red, white and blue, to the San Diego Wave's navy and pink — on the backs of fans.

But the No. 13 jersey that everyone was there to see wasn't worn by anyone — and it will never again be worn by another Wave player.

The Wave retired Morgan's No. 13 after the match on Sunday, and presented the USWNT legend with a framed jersey moments after the team's 3-0 loss to the Houston Dash.

«I'm going to try to keep it together,» said Morgan as she held back tears. «Thank you for so many moments in my career. Three years may seem like a short period of time, but honestly these three years have been the most transformative. From building the club from the ground up, to making the playoffs to winning the Shield in the second season and winning the Challenge Cup in the third season and breaking the record for NWSL attendance.

»To the fans, oh we have been through it. The ebbs and flows, the highs and lows, there's just something about sports that brings people together. We did it all and I just applaud you showing up every single day. That's why I showed up. To the young girls and boys in the stadium, this wasn't a possibility for seven-year-old Alex. I had a dream of playing soccer, but it wasn't possible and now it is. So thank you so much to you, it means everything."

About 100 of Morgan's family and friends were in attendance for Sunday's match and ceremony, including some former teammates like Tobin Heath.

«To see my time here in San Diego, and that it did make as much of an impact as it did in order to get [No. 13] retired, there was a lot of sweat and tears and