CARY, N.C. — Samantha Mewis and Lucy Bronze are among soccer’s best female players, yet except for the World Cup and Olympics and perhaps a periodic friendly between their respective national teams, they would not come close to crossing paths.
Mewis, a U.S. national team midfielder, plies her trade for the North Carolina Courage in the National Women’s Soccer League. Her English counterpart plays full time for French power Olympique Lyonnais.
Same sport, different circles.
But as the women’s branch of the game grows, so do the efforts to put the top players on the same field more often, not just on global occasions involving national teams.