Gotham FC’s Midge Purce is one of those soccer players whose impact shows on the field well before the scoreboard catches up to her. After recovering from an ACL tear that sidelined her last season, Purce has worked her way back into form as the connective tissue between Gotham’s midfield and attack, helping the New York–New Jersey squad squeak into the postseason earlier this month as the lowest-seeded team. Then came a playoff run no one could have predicted, with an upset win over the seemingly unstoppable No. 1 seed, Kansas City Current, and a semifinal surge against the reigning National Women’s Soccer League champion, Orlando Pride . Now Purce, who was the MVP of the 2023 NWSL final, is within striking distance of another championship.

A multi-cap U.S. national team player and

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