Midge Purce on NWSL Finals and the Future of Women’s Soccer

Margaret “Midge” Purce isn't afraid to make small appearances. Regarding Gotham FCit's literally her job to materialize opportunities on the field. And if you've ever seen her play at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey, you know she's good at it. “I’m not really a player who’s just looking for an easy, simple pass. I like to play one on one. I like to get results,” Purse told POPSUGAR in an exclusive interview just two weeks before Gotham FC earned a spot in the NWSL finals.

This season was a year of redemption for both Gotham and Persian. Last year at this time, the football star could not even dream of participating in the championship. Her body only had one setting: recovery mode. After a season-ending cruciate ligament tear sidelined her in March 2024, Purse spent the next year undergoing surgery and six weeks of rehabilitation before returning to the field the following March. “I spent most of the year just doing everything I could to get back to where I want to be,” Perce said.

During the off-season, Gotham managed to rise to third place. But this year they are in the finals and will meet the Washington Spirit on November 22 in the fight for the championship title. “We have very gritty, relentless-minded players, so we’re just focused on finding a way. Everything that happened in the past doesn't really matter,” Perce says. Instead, she displays radical confidence: “Honestly, with the roster that we have, with the incredible talent of the group that I train with every day—the expectation is a championship.”

It is this kind of confidence that she strives to instill in future generations. When he's not playing, Purce works as an executive director. Black Women Players Collective (BVPK). “We founded it in 2020 and it was in response to George Floyd And Breonna Taylor and the mess that I think the whole country was in existed at that time,” Perse says. “I see a lot of things today that remind me of the unrest that was so deep-rooted and disheartening.”

Her hopes for the team? To remind little black girls that they belong not only on the football field, but in this world. The organization hosts training sessions with professional players, trips to games and, from November 22 to 25, the first national showcase in the United States to introduce top black female soccer players to elite coaches, scouts and agents.

“Our mission is no longer to convince other people to understand, believe or support what we say. We want to support other young people who are going through the same experiences as us – to protect them, to support them and to make sure that they know that we have a community that is behind them and wants them to win and wants them to succeed,” Perce says.

Knowing that she is pulling the next generation along with her is what keeps Purce working hard, even on the hard days. This is her recovery procedure too. “I love contrasts [therapy] with an infrared sauna and cold bathing,” says Pers. She usually spends 10 minutes in the infrared bath. sauna and then three minutes later cold diveand repeats this two or three times a day. “It makes me feel very, very good… my cortisol level just throw instantly,” Purse says. She also loves protein shakes. While she hasn't found one she really likes, her biggest hack is choosing a fun vessel. “When I get home and when my boyfriend comes back, I ask him to make me a protein shake and put it in a really nice glass so it doesn't feel like work,” Purse says. “It's a mind game.”

After that, there wasn't much left on her post-game to-do list. “During the week it’s mostly about rehab and recovery,” Pers says, while also analyzing tactics for the weekend. “At this stage of the season I’m in good shape. I won't have to do too much training to get
Ready.” The only thing on her agenda now is to ensure victory.

Alexis Jones (she/her) is the head of health and fitness at Popsugar, overseeing coverage on the website, social media and newsletters. With more than seven years of editorial experience, Alexis has developed a passion and knowledge in the areas of mental health, women's health and fitness, racial and ethnic health disparities, and chronic disease. Before joining PS, she was a senior editor at Health magazine. Her other original articles can be found in the magazines Women's Health, Prevention, Marie Claire and others.