Kadeisha Buchanan is one of women’s soccer’s most dominant and respected defenders. She plays center-back for the English Women’s Super League club Chelsea and the Canada women’s national team. She has won the Canadian Player of the Year award thrice in 2015, 2017, and 2020. She also received the 2015 FIFA Young Player Award at the Women’s World Cup, where she helped Canada reach the quarter-finals. Here is a look at her impressive career and achievements so far.
Early Life and Career
Buchanan was born on November 5, 1995, in Toronto, Ontario, near Toronto. She is the youngest of seven girls (ten siblings) in a single-parent home. Her parents are initially from Jamaica; her father was born in Saint Thomas Parish, and her mother in Montego Bay. She grew up playing soccer with her older brother, Michael, and joined the Brampton Brams United club at nine. She also played for the Erin Mills SC and the Toronto Lady Lynx. She showed her potential as a strong and fearless defender, earning the nickname “Buchananator” from her teammates. At Cardinal Leger Secondary School, she played other sports like flag football, volleyball, and basketball.
Buchanan was a standout player for the Canada under-17 and under-20 national teams, winning the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship in 2012 and the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship in 2014. She also participated in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2012 and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2014, where she scored her first international goal against Finland. She debuted for the senior national team on January 13, 2013, at 17, in a friendly match against China.
Buchanan played college soccer at West Virginia University for the Mountaineers, where she co-captained the team and won numerous accolades, such as the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2016, the Honda Sports Award in 2017, and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year four times. She also earned a degree in criminology.
Club Success in France and England
Buchanan was a highly-rated prospect before the 2017 NWSL College Draft, but she decided to pursue her dream of playing professionally in Europe. In January 2017, she signed with Olympique Lyonnais of Division 1 Féminine, the most successful club in women’s soccer history. She became the first Canadian player to join Lyon and the second to play in France after Kaylyn Kyle.
Buchanan was a key player for Lyon, helping them win five consecutive UEFA Women’s Champions League titles, six consecutive Dsuccessiveéminine titles, and four Coupe de France Féminine titles. She also formed a formidable partnership with French star Wendie Renard in the heart of the defense and scored six goals in 78 appearances for the club. She also gained valuable experience and exposure playing against some of the best players and teams in the world, such as Barcelona, Wolfsburg, and After five successful seasons, PSG.
Buchanan left Lyon in ons and joined Chelsea of the English Women’s Super League, where she reunited with former West Virginia teammate Ashley Lawrence. She quickly adapted to the new league and became a regular starter for the Blues, the reigning champions and one of the top contenders in Europe. She also scored her first goal for Chelsea in a 4-0 win over Manchester United in October 2022.
International Glory with Canada
Buchanan has been a vital Canadian women’s national team member, playing in three FIFA World Cups in 2015, 2019, and 2023 and two Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020. She has won two bronze medals at the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics and reached the quarter-finals at the World Cup twice in Canada and France. She has also won two CONCACAF Women’s Championship titles in 2018 and 2022 and a Pan American Games gold medal in 2015. She has scored four goals in 138 caps for Canada and has been named to the FIFA FIFPro Women’s World XI twice, in 2015 and 2016.
Buchanan is widely considered one of the best defenders in soccer, with her physical strength, aerial ability, tackling skills, and leadership qualities. She has earned the respect and admiration of her teammates, coaches, opponents, and fans and has been compared to legendary players such as Sergio Ramos, Vincent Kompany, and Christine Sinclair. She is also a role model and an inspiration for young girls who aspire to play soccer, especially those from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds. She is the Canadian wall of defense and one of the greatest players of her generation.
Originally posted 2023-11-21 20:05:54.
