The debate over the best domestic league in women’s soccer is never-ending. Is it Europe, or the ever-evolving USA, that offers the best opportunities for aspiring young players? We don’t know about others, but Casey Murphy is rather ‘grateful‘ to have experienced both the European and American domestic scenes, as she proudly expressed this feeling in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports.

Believe it or not, there’s something in the air of Europe that makes it a hotspot of domestic soccer. Keeping aside the popularity of men’s games, even the women’s side of the game never fails to entertain. But who knew playing there holds paramount importance in the career growth of budding talents? “I had a great experience in France,” said Murphy to EssentiallySports.

“I left college a year early and went to play for Montpellier in the French League and got to play in the Champions League. As a younger player, that game experience was crucial for me.” She proudly continued, “After two years of playing abroad, I definitely felt like I was ready to come back to the US and play. I’m really happy that I took that chance on going and playing in Europe and got that whole experience.”

Interestingly, Murphy chose to attend Rutgers University in 2014, where she represented the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for three years. However, an opportunity came a year later to play for the Montpellier Feminine. In the subsequent year, she returned to her country, taking her baby steps in NWSL by signing for OL Reign before eventually joining her current team, North Carolina Courage, in 2021.

Even though it was a year-long stint with the French side, Casey is thankful for the same. No wonder she feels honored to live the American dream with Courage. “I’m also super happy now to be playing in the NWSL because I truly feel it’s one of the top, if not the top, league to play in at the moment. So, I’m just grateful for the opportunity to have been able to play in both,” concluded Murphy.

Yet again, each coin has two faces. Just like there are significant positives of playing in NWSL, hear out some drawbacks that even Casey would agree with!

Tobin Heath may disagree with Casey Murphy calling NWSL a ‘top league’ to play in!

Tobin Heath recently highlighted the timing at which the season starts as a key advantage that European leagues have over the NWSL. The American women’s league begins much earlier than the European leagues, such as the WSL, which starts in late August. With the NWSL season kicking off around the start of the year, players are often required to leave their clubs for international tournaments mid-season, then return and readjust afterward.

This constant back-and-forth poses a challenge for players, something Heath acknowledges. “It just feels like there’s more grace to that as opposed to literally ‘Boom! you’re back in the NWSL. Boom! make the playoffs. Boom win the Shield, win the championship.’ And you’re like, ‘Can I get a break?’ I think that’s really, really hard,” Heath said to fellow co-host Christen Press in the latest episode of the RE—INC podcast.

Interestingly, this isn’t something bound to the women’s game; Major League Soccer (MLS) on the men’s side follows a similar pattern. It’s mostly in the U.S. where domestic seasons start and finish earlier than in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, we’d surely like to know the views of Casey Murphy on this challenge, hopefully, next time in another installment of an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports.