There is no competition in sports bigger than the World Cup, and for many players there is no bigger honor than representing their country on the world’s biggest stage. This year’s edition of the Women’s World Cup has seen a number of players with ties to Raleigh called up to their national teams, including seven from local club NC Courage.

Representing four different nations at the competition, the NC Courage players currently in France for the World Cup have performed very well over the opening two games of the group stage.

Sam Mewis, Midfielder, United States

Mewis contributed to four goals in the US’s historic 13-0 destruction of Thailand in the team’s opener, with two goals and two assists. The 13-goal margin is the largest in the history of the World Cup, men’s or women’s. The midfielder got the team’s 10-goal second half started with a goal in the 50th minute and added another just four minutes later.

Mewis did not start in the US’s second game against Chile as head coach Jill Ellis made seven changes from the line up against Thailand, likely to rest players for the US’s first real test of the tournament against Sweden on Thursday.

Crystal Dunn, Defender, United States

Dunn featured on the left side of the US’s back four which held Thailand to just two attempts. Dunn also provided an assist and hit the post during the 13-0 drumming.

Dunn was another one of the seven players moved out of the starting lineup for the game against Chile.

Abby Dahlkemper, Defender, United States

Dahlkemper featured as a part of the back four with Dunn in game one. Featuring at center half against Thailand, Dahlkemper had little action in the game with the US holding 75% of the possession over the 90.

Dahlkemper was one of just four players to retain a starting spot for the US in the game against Chile and helped to create the opening goal of the game. The defender’s long diagonal ball into the Chile box was knocked down to Carli Lloyd who hit a stunning half volley into the back of the net.

Jessica McDonald, Forward, United States

McDonald did not feature in the US’s opening games of the World Cup, but was a half-time substitute in the team’s second game against Chile, coming in for midfielder Julie Ertz and moving captain Lloyd back into the midfield. The forward nearly scored in the 61st minute, driving in from the left wing and unleashing a curler which hit the post.

With Alex Morgan likely to return as the starting striker for the US’s battle for first place in Group F against Sweden, McDonald will have to settle for a spot as an impact sub for the next game. With her performance against Chile, McDonald should be one of the first names on Ellis’s mind when she looks for a change in the forward line.

Debinha, Forward, Brazil

Debinha played a full 90 in both of Brazil’s games so far in the World Cup, a 3-0 win over Jamaica and a 3-2 loss to Australia. Debinha has yet to score in the tournament, but with seven shots, five of which were from inside the box, she looks likely to hit the back of the net at some point. The winger does have one assist in the tournament so far, coming in the 3-2 loss to Australia.

Brazil’s third game of the tournament is against Italy on Tuesday in what is likely a group deciding game with the winner poised to take the top spot in the group.

Abby Erceg, Defender, New Zealand

Erceg and the rest of the New Zealand team have their work cut out for them going into the final game of the group stage against Cameroon. The Football Ferns lost the opening two games of the group stage to the Netherlands and Canada but can still qualify for the knockout stage as one of the four best third-place teams. With a goal difference of just minus-3 going into the final game, New Zealand will need to win big against Cameroon if they want to get into the knockout stage.

Erceg blocked five shots over the first two games to help put her team in a position to qualify.

Stephanie Labbé, Goalkeeper, Canada

Labbé and Canada have qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Cameroon and a 2-0 win over New Zealand. Labbé made one save and conceded zero goals over the two games. Canada has an opportunity to top their group if they can take down the Netherlands on Thursday.