There was a time when Veronica Perez's soccer career, like her citizenship status, was split between two countries.
Born in the U.S. to Mexican parents, Perez could play for either side. So in 2009, she did.
After her first start with the U.S. under-23 national team, the Americans' interest quickly waned. Mexico, on the other hand, asked if she'd like to play on its World Cup team.
"I was like, 'Of course.' Why would I give up that opportunity?" Perez said.
But if the choice were easy, it was also emotional: The first time Perez played a competitive game against the U.