The last game of the year for the NWSL brings plenty of pomp and circumstance. There are celebrations and events to mark the NWSL Championship and the final two teams and players participating. There’s also the news and headlines around offseason moves and what comes next.
There has been plenty of reporting on the Washington Spirit and the contract status of Trinity Rodman ahead of the 2025 NWSL Championship. But for Gotham FC, they also have a key player navigating free agency leading into the big game. Forward Midge Purce has been with the club since 2020, back when they were Sky Blue FC. She’s been with the team through sparse resources, a club rebrand, and an epic rise as bona fide contenders.
When the club reached the NWSL Championship in 2023, her two-assist performance in the final earned her Championship MVP honors. Her impressive form earned her call-ups back into the national team, and then a huge setback, an ACL injury in March 2024, her previous contract year, and right as the U.S. women’s national team was preparing for the Paris Olympics and Gotham FC began their title defense.
Her journey back to the 2025 NWSL Championship is a story of triumphant highs and crushing setbacks. But there’s also a resilient, quieter comeback that’s set her up for another opportunity as an x-factor in Gotham’s biggest game of the year. It’s also one that could be her last in a Gotham FC jersey, as she’s a free agent this offseason.
“I think you know you experience probably some of the worst case scenarios,” Purce said on navigating the highs and lows of free agency.
“And I actually had the worst case scenario, which is, you tear your ACL going into that contract year. That wasn’t amazing, but after that, coming back, you know, it’s kind of no fear. So I just want to make sure I make the right decision for myself. Just putting me first.”
Where those decisions take her is yet to be determined. Sources familiar with Purce’s previous negotiations confirmed to CBS Sports that other NWSL clubs were open to conversations about the forward with her skillset and versatility, but that other leagues were also interested, including Liga MX Femenil.
Purce’s road to recovery now culminates in another big stage moment. It’s a testament to her determination and how the road back isn’t a solo trip, and she makes sure to mention Rose Lavelle and Tierna Davidson as teammates she’s relied on for advice and encouragement on injuries and injury setbacks in her own return to play. She’s featured in 22 games this season, but didn’t finally string together a full 90 minute game until the second half of the season.
Her ability to create space, drive possession, and generate chances, are all major factors that don’t always show up on the scoresheet. For now, she’s just focused on the championship in front of her and not so much on whether or not this will be the last game she plays for Gotham FC.
“I don’t really think about it that way, and maybe I should,” she joked. “You know, I’ve done this to myself before, where I don’t sign a contract, and I’m playing a lot and I’m playing in big games. I just like to bet on myself, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. So I’m excited for the game. I’m pumped about it, and we’ll see what follows after.”
Purce is a feeler on the pitch, and her instinct to find the game in moments where there’s little tempo or lack of flow, is when she can be most effective. She’s a difference maker in the final third, especially in high-stakes scenarios. If it is her final game in a Gotham kit, she wants it to be as memorable as possible.
“If it is my last game in a Gotham jersey, I just, I haven’t even thought about that,” she paused. “I have to say the fandom is absolutely incredible. I love everyone who has been so committed and has created this amazing community and has watched. It’s been an honor to watch it grow from Sky Blue to what it is now, and the caliber of players it’s attracted and the statement it has made on not just a national scale, but a global scale.
And I just want to say thank you to all my teammates who have made this time, just, you know, through the hard times and through the good times. No one else really sees everything the way my teammates do, so sending them so much love. Not just now, but for the rest of their careers and the rest of their lives. Just, thank you.”
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