rub shoulders with

アフリカのマリを代表するSissoko選手についての記事がFIFA.comに掲載されていました。
Sissoko clearly knows a thing or two about handling pressure. During his spells with Valencia, Liverpool and Juventus, the midfielder won a Spanish league title, a UEFA Cup, an FA Cup and two European Super Cups, and rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in the modern game. “Players like Steven Gerrard, Pablo Aimar and Alessandro Del Piero have all made a huge impressions on me,” he said. “I learned a lot from them; they’re humble, likeable guys, despite the huge things they’ve achieved. They’re models in terms of hard work and commitment.”
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1572626.html
rub shoulders withは「[肩と肩を]すり合わせる」，「（著名な人々などと）親しく交際する」という意味で，rub elbows withでも同じ意味です（『リーダース英和辞典』第2版，大修館書店）。with some of the biggest names in the modern gameが後ろに続いていることは，この表現にピッタリですね。サッカー選手は試合で体をぶつけあって，親しくなっていきます。