Christine Sinclair had initially planned to retire from the Canadian national team quietly after contributing to their qualification for the upcoming Paris Olympics. However, her decision took an unexpected turn, thanks to her friends and family.
“I wanted to be part of the group to help the team qualify for Paris, for the team, but for me personally, it was important,” Sinclair explained. “I thought that was going to be it, and I was going to walk off and not say a word.”
But the unassuming 40-year-old forward changed her mind upon learning that Canada would host additional games this year.
From Paris Olympics to Her Last World Cup: The Remarkable Career of Canada’s Soccer Icon
“My friends and family convinced me: ‘You can’t just leave. You owe it to Canada to come out and play these games,'” she said.
Sinclair shared her thoughts on Thursday as she prepared to participate in the first two of four exhibition matches. Canada is set to host Brazil on Saturday in Montreal and Tuesday in Halifax.
The team is scheduled to have two more friendly matches this year, both against Australia, in Sinclair’s native British Columbia. The first will take place in Langford on December 1, followed by her formal send-off match at BC Place on December 5.
In late September, Sinclair was included in Canada’s roster for a two-legged CONCACAF Olympic qualifier against Jamaica, and they secured their spot in France with a 4-1 aggregate victory over the Reggae Girlz.
Canada is the defending champion of the Olympic tournament, having won the gold medal at the Tokyo Games. In addition to the gold, Sinclair also retired with bronze medals from the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
Read also: Manchester Stars Dominate Sarina Wiegman’s England Squad for Belgium Clashes
Impactful Retirement Decision: Christine Sinclair’s Farewell to the Canadian National Team
However, this summer, Canada had a disappointing performance at the Women’s World Cup, failing to advance out of the group stage.
“After Tokyo, just the way we went out and won the thing, I knew I didn’t want to play in Paris,” she said. “There’s no better way to go out, but I did want to give the World Cup one more shot. I thought this team had a unique opportunity to prove to the world that Tokyo wasn’t a fluke, and obviously, we haven’t had the most success in the World Cup.
“I knew I could play, I was ready to play and give it one more shot. And then with the way the World Cup went, I didn’t want that to be it.”
Sinclair’s remarkable career boasts 190 international goals, making her the all-time leading scorer in both men’s and women’s soccer, since her national team debut in 2000. She has represented Canada in 327 matches, while Cristiano Ronaldo, the top scorer among men, has 127 goals.
Sinclair is also one of only five players to participate in six Women’s World Cups and one of just three players to score in five of them. Despite her illustrious career, a World Cup trophy has eluded her.
On SportsCentre now – Janine Beckie & Christine Sinclair tell Rick Westhead that the team will not take part in any team activities until this is resolved, which includes participation in the SheBelieves Cup. #CanWNT #CanXNT
— Meaghen Johnson (@MeaghenJohnson) February 10, 2023
Sinclair recently announced on social media that she would conclude the year with Canada before retiring, even posting a poignant picture of her cleats hung over a goalpost, gently swaying in the breeze.
The next day, she shared a heartfelt letter to her younger self, confirming her retirement plans, but she had not publicly spoken about it until Thursday.
While Sinclair’s international playing career is winding down, she is hopeful for one more season with her club team, the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League. The Thorns are gearing up for a playoff game on November 5 against Gotham FC. If they win, they’ll compete for a fourth NWSL championship on November 11.
With her legacy in women’s soccer still in the making, Sinclair humbly states, “I think when I’m actually done playing, I’ll look back on that. I’m just proud to have been part of the growth of women’s football around the world, and obviously here in Canada.”
Originally posted 2023-11-02 17:47:29.
