Jessie Fleming is a Canadian professional soccer player and midfielder for the Women’s Super League club Chelsea and the Canada national team. Fleming played collegiate soccer in the United States with the UCLA Bruins from 2016 to 2019. She was a member of Canada’s gold medal-winning side at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where she scored the team’s only regular-time goal in the final on a penalty kick and the first goal in the penalty shootout.
Early life and education
Fleming was born in London, Ontario, to Michaele and John Fleming, who are both originally from Toronto. She has an older brother, Tristan, and a younger sister, Elysse. Growing up, she competed in soccer, hockey (including in a full-contact boys’ league), track and field, and cross-country. She started playing soccer at three for the London-based Nor’West Optimist Soccer Club, where she remained until 2016.
Fleming attended elementary school at Ryerson Public School, where she remained undefeated in cross-country throughout her elementary school career. She attended London Central Secondary School from Grade 9 to Grade 10, where she competed in OFSAA track and field and cross-country. 2012, she won the novice girls’ 4000m race at the OFSAA Cross Country Championships. The following year, she competed at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships and won the midget women’s 1500m and midget women’s 3000m competitions. She still holds the record for the 1500m in the midget women’s category. In 2014, she competed again at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships, winning a gold medal in the junior women’s 3000m race and a silver medal in the junior women’s 1500m race. She switched to H. B. Beal Secondary School for Grades 11 and 12 and graduated in 2016.
Fleming verbally committed to UCLA in December 2014 and joined the Bruins in August 2016. She played her first game on August 28, less than ten days after helping Canada win a bronze medal at the Olympic Games, scoring twice in a 4–3 loss to Florida. Her goalscoring tear continued as she netted seven goals in her first six games as a college player.
Professional career
Fleming signed her first professional contract with Chelsea in July 2020 after a stellar collegiate career at UCLA. She debuted for the Blues in September 2020 as a substitute in a 9–0 win over Bristol City. She scored her first goal for the club in December 2020 in a 3–0 win over West Ham United. She helped Chelsea win the FA Women’s Super League title in 2020–21, the FA Women’s League Cup, and the FA Women’s Community Shield. She also played in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, where Chelsea lost 4–0 to Barcelona.
International career
Fleming made her senior debut for Canada at 15 in a friendly match against China in December 2013. She became the second-youngest player to represent Canada at the FIFA Women’s World Cup when she played in the 2015 edition in Canada. She also represented Canada at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, winning bronze and gold medals. She scored the decisive penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Brazil in 2020 and the only goal from open play in the final against Sweden, where she also converted the first penalty in the shootout. She was named Canada Soccer’s Player of the Year for 2021 and 2022, becoming the first player to win the award in consecutive years since Christine Sinclair in 2011 and 2012.
Personal life
Fleming is fluent in French and English and has a working knowledge of Spanish. She is studying for a degree in materials engineering and environmental science at UCLA and plans to pursue a career in engineering after soccer. She is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors. She is also an avid reader and enjoys books by Malcolm Gladwell and J. K. Rowling.
Originally posted 2023-12-19 18:31:49.
