The Women’s United Soccer Association signed eight of an eventual 16 foreign players, including three players from Norway’s gold-medal winning team. The WUSA plans to announce the eight other players and hold a foreign-player draft later this fall. Midfielder Hege Riise, goalkeeper Bente Nordby and defender Gro Espeseth were part of the team that defeated the U.S. women’s Olympic team, 3-2, in overtime in Sydney. Ann Kristin Aarones, a midfielder/forward who played on Norway’s World Cup ’99 team, has also signed with the league. Aarones headed in the goal to beat the United States in the semifinal round of World Cup ’95 in Sweden. The other signees are Sweden goalkeeper Ulrika Karlsson and midfielder Kristin Bengtsson; Canada midfielder/forward Charmaine Hooper; and England striker Kelly Smith, who played her college ball at Seton Hall. “In order for the WUSA to have the premier women’s soccer league in the world, we needed to include some of the top international players,” said Lauren Gregg, VP of Player Relations for the WUSA. “I think this group represent in particular represents some of the finest foreign players around. Much like the U.S. players, these players represent the foundation of women’s soccer in their particular country.”