Players with American ties make their mark for other countries at Women's World Cup

VANCOUVER, B.C. -- To measure the strength of American women's soccer you could look at the record of the national team, which has never finished worse than third in a World Cup, currently sits No. 2 in the global rankings and is again among the favorites to lift the trophy.

Or you could look elsewhere around the tournament, where a handy sprinkling of American players are making their mark wearing the colors of other countries.

England's goalkeeper is from Santa Monica, Calif. New Zealand's left back is from a few miles away, a native of Los Angeles. And getting ready to face off against the United States in its crucial third group game on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, Fox) is Courtney Dike, an Oklahoma State sophomore who is an emerging star for Nigeria.

Dike grew up in Edmond, Okla., where she was a soccer and basketball star in high school. A speedy and powerful forward, she jumped at the chance to play for Nigeria when its national federation came calling.

"To earn the right to represent your country at the World Cup is the stuff of dreams," said OSU coach Colin Carmichael.

FIFA regulations allow for players to qualify for different nations based on factors such as birth, passport status and their parents' origins. Dike, whose brother Bright plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer and has represented the Nigerian men's team, is eligible through her parents, Vincent and Jacinta.

"There are a lot of players in that situation and good luck to them," U.S. forward Amy Rodriguez told USA TODAY Sports. "The U.S. team is incredibly hard to get into and only a certain number of players get that opportunity. So for those players to have the chance to play for another country is awesome for them."

Once a player has represented one country in a competitive match at the full senior level, however, there is no going back and switching allegiance.

Dike is not alone. For goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, the chance to represent England was a "dream come true".

Bardsley, 30, has had a fine career, winning the Big West Freshman of the Year award while at Cal State Fullerton and being part of the Sky Blue FC squad that won the Women's Professional Soccer title in 2009, before the league folded.

However, with Hope Solo a commanding figure in the American goal, Bardsley's best shot at international action was always going to be with England, where she now plays for Manchester City's women's team.

"It would be great to play for the States, but England is my family's country so I thought it would mean a lot more if I represented England," she said.

Ali Riley, who qualified to play for New Zealand through her father, was a late bloomer who was never contacted by the U.S. national team program before committing to the White Ferns. Now 27, she has enjoyed a successful pro career, playing for New Zealand in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, and becoming a key contributor for powerful Swedish club team Rosengard.

Several members of the Mexico team were born and raised in the U.S. and were recruited due to their success in college.

"A lot of the depth of women's soccer in America can be traced back to Title IX, and you can see the impact of it to this day," said American soccer historian Jack Huckel. "You can see that with the number of Americans representing other countries. Strong players, who just couldn't break into the national team."

However, not everyone decided to take up the opportunity for a trip to the World Cup. Sofia Huerta, a standout forward with the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League, declined an invitation from Mexico, for whom she would have been a lock to start as first choice striker.

Instead, Huerta, 22, decided to bide her time, and see if a call from the U.S. camp is forthcoming.

"To play for the U.S. is my dream and that is what I want to pursue," Huerta said. "The U.S. is the best team in the world and it would be amazing to be a part of it one day. Some people think I am crazy and a complete idiot for making this decision and it means that this time I didn't get to go to the World Cup. But this is what I wanted and I am determined to make it work."

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