Star player of the women’s national soccer team, Christine Sinclair, announced Friday that she had decided to end her international career at the end of 2023.
After leading Canada to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021, the captain realized something.
“After Tokyo, deep inside me, I knew that I did not want to go to Paris,” she said, referring to the Paris Games in 2024. The way it ended at the Olympic Games in Tokyo couldn’t be better. »
“I wanted to try my luck one last time in the World Cup, because I honestly believed that we had a chance to win and we hadn’t had success in this tournament in a very long time,” he said. she adds.
But it didn’t come to fruition. Canada was eliminated quickly last summer in Australia, unable to advance from the group stage in Sinclair’s sixth — and final — appearance.
It wasn’t the ending I hoped for.
“Given everything”
Christine Sinclair continued her activities, helping Canada qualify for the Paris Olympics last month, after playing 35 minutes in the second leg that cemented a 4-1 victory over Jamaica.
“I can sit back and say to myself that I have literally done everything and given everything I had to this national team since I was 16,” she told The Canadian Press. I have no remorse, knowing everything I did and all the work I put into it. I know I did everything, for as long as I could. And this team will be in good hands for the future. »
” The time has come [de me retirer], she added. Lately I’ve been thinking about taking a vacation, spending time with my family, going to the cabin — things that wouldn’t have crossed my mind five years ago. »
Top scorer in the history of women’s soccer with 190 successes in 327 appearances on the international scene, Christine Sinclair is expected to play four more matches with Canada.
Other matches to come
Although she has ended her international career, Sinclair plans to play one final season with the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) next season.
She is also expected to participate in two friendly matches later this month against Brazil (no 9) — at the Saputo stadium in Montreal on October 28, and on the 31st in Halifax.
Soccer Canada is then expected to announce two more matches in the country later this year, somewhere between November 27 and December 6. A source revealed that one of these matches is expected to take place in Vancouver against Australia (no 11). The other match should be presented in the same sector, against the same opponent.
Christine Sinclair made her debut for the senior national team in March 2000 at age 16, in a 4–0 loss to China. She scored a first goal in her second meeting, a 2-1 defeat against Norway.
Sinclair was Canada Soccer’s Player of the Year from 2004 to 2014, achieving the title 14 times in total.
She helped the Maple Leaf win bronze at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. At the London 2012 Olympic Games, she was Canada’s flag bearer at the closing ceremony.
During her time at the University of Portland, she was twice named the NCAA Player of the Year.