Canadian players prepare to bid emotional farewell to captain Christine Sinclair

Posted On: December 5, 2023

Olympic bronze, bronze and gold. A world record of 190 goals. Order of Canada. Walk of Fame. Canadian Player of the Year 14 times. NWSL champion. Without forgetting a flawless, even admirable, reputation off the field.

The 40-year-old from Burnaby, British Columbia, ends his international career Tuesday night against Australia in a friendly match that promises to be an emotional farewell in his backyard.

Some 45,000 people are expected for the match at BC Place Stadium, which will be renamed “Christine Sinclair Place” for the evening. The stadium, which attracted an MLS-record Vancouver Whitecaps home attendance of 30,204 for last month’s playoff match against Los Angeles FC, was already adorned Monday with signs around the pitch reading “Thank you Sinc.”

“It’s going to be a roller coaster of emotions,” veteran midfielder Desiree Scott said.

“It’s moving. I think it hasn’t settled in,” added forward Jordyn Huitema. “My whole career with the national team has involved her and I don’t know what it will be like without her… She means a lot to me.”

“We will all hold back a few tears. Probably not very good,” guard Kailen Sheridan said.

Sinclair, who has come off the bench in five of his last six appearances, is expected to lead the team on Tuesday one last time for his 331st cap and 313th start. A dozen members of the Canadian bronze medal team at the London 2012 Olympic Games will serve as an honor guard.

Sinclair was relaxed during his media meeting Sunday with Schmidt. But Canada coach Bev Priestman said the floodgates could open at some point.

“He’s a very strong person, but he’s a human being,” Priestman said. “I have no doubt that at that point it’s probably going to hit her big time.”

Canada Soccer says more than 50 former women’s and men’s internationals will be in attendance.

There is no doubt that her current teammates will do everything they can to achieve her number 1 goal. 191, adding to her world record total.

“She delivers in big moments,” Priestman said.

The skipper last scored on July 25, 2022, in a 6-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago. She has been held scoreless in her last 19 outings in Canada, although her role has changed in recent times, with Priestman able to choose from a number of young forwards and deploy Sinclair deeper if necessary.

Sinclair took to the BC Place field to the sounds of Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine” and the clicking of cameras Monday. Before training, she and veteran midfielder Sophie Schmidt received framed Whitecaps jerseys.

“Two absolute legends,” Priestman said.

Schmidt, 35, a veteran of 225 international caps, is also playing her final match for Canada, but like Sinclair, she plans another season with her club team.

Both men will be honored on Tuesday alongside 40-year-old goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who announced her international retirement in January after 119 international caps. McLeod will monitor the situation from the sidelines.

The goal is to send them out on a winning note.

“It’s going to be an incredible evening. But I know every player will run the extra 20, 30 yards they need to run for what these players have done for the program,” Priestman said.

“What we do and how we play is absolutely with Paris (the 2024 Olympics) in mind. But there’s also a reality of what (Tuesday) is, so it’s a juggling act.

Australian coach Tony Gustavsson fielded an experimental lineup against Canada on Friday in Langford, British Columbia, suffering a 5-0 defeat. The starting XI did not include any of the Matildas’ regulars from the World Cup in Melbourne in July, when co-hosts Australia won 4-0 to send the Canadians home early.

Gustavsson, who was an assistant coach for the U.S. team when it beat Japan 5-2 in front of 53,341 at BC Place to win the 2015 World Cup, said Tuesday’s starting lineup would offer “a different look in terms of alignment”.

Priestman expects a different test in Australia on Tuesday.

“More pressing and intensity. And obviously they have world-class players playing week in, week out in the WSL (England Women’s Super League),” Priestman said. “Once the whistle blows, whether it’s in the evening or not, I can imagine it will be a great game, with two teams on their way to the Olympics.”

Friday’s victory improved the Canadians’ record to 10th over No. 11 Australia is 9-8-3. Canada has won four of the last five meetings.

This is the Canadian Olympic champions’ final match until the CONCACAF Gold Cup in February. The Matildas are preparing for the final round of Asian qualifiers in February against No.1. 50 Uzbekistan, a round-trip series whose winner will join the 12 teams in Paris.