Canadian legend and all-time leading goal scorer Christine Sinclair retires
Christine Sinclair, FIFA's all-time leading international goal scorer, is set to retire from the Canadian national team after a remarkable 24-year career. Her impact goes far beyond the numbers, as she has been the face of Canadian soccer, inspiring generations of players and leaving behind a legacy that will endure for years to come.
By Oliver Hunt
As 2023 draws to a close, another international soccer star is hanging up her boots. Christine Sinclair, FIFA’s leading all-time men’s or women’s international goal scorer, is playing her last game for Canada on Dec. 5. Sinclair announced her retirement in October when she confirmed that she would be leaving international football and playing one final season with her club team, the Portland Thorns.
It’s easy to look at purely the numbers to quantify Sinclair’s stellar career with Canada, the striker has plenty of statistics to back up her accomplishments. But counting caps and goals could never truly capture what Sinclair means to Canada. She’s been the face of Canada soccer for all of their ups and downs, leading the team as a captain on the field and inspiring the next generation of players off of it. Beloved by her country, Sinclair has truly made the most of her time on the national team, and her absence will weigh heavily on this team as they head towards the Olympics this summer.
Sinclair earned her first call-up to the senior national team at 16 years old. Her debut came on Mar. 12, 2000, and at the time of her first appearance, she was the youngest Canadian to get a senior national team cap. Her first game would be a 4-0 loss against China PR, but she would go on to score her first international goal two days later on March 14. It was the first of 190 goals that she would go on to score for Canada, making her the leading international goal scorer of all time, currently 62 goals over the leading men’s scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
FIFA honored Sinclair with The Best FIFA Special Award as a recognition for her accomplishments, and as usual, she responded with humble gratefulness and a desire to put the spotlight anywhere but on herself. Known in the soccer world for having a more reserved demeanor, Sinclair said the following regarding the award.
“What matters are all the moments that I have shared and the connections that I have made. Being one of the first to recieve this award is an incredible honour. I hope it inspires young girls around the world to chase their dreams and lets them know that anything is possible.”
It would be impossible to cover every goal highlight from Sinclair’s career, but her goals in the 2012 Olympics against the United States are ones that she recalls as a turning point for both her career and Canada soccer. During the semi-final match, Sinclair scored a hat trick against their biggest rivals and led Canada to their first Olympic bronze medal. Sinclair reflected on the game later, citing its impact by saying: “I am now teammates with players that tell me they remember watching those Olympic Games and that’s when they decided they wanted to play for Canada.” Sinclair would end up taking home the Golden Boot for the 2012 Olympics, having scored six goals over the course of the tournament.
As Sinclair prepares to take her final bow on the international stage in Vancouver, she will close out a 24-year-long international career with 331 caps. She’s taking home three Olympic medals, two bronze and one gold. Not to mention 12 Olympic goals, appearances across six different World Cups, 14 Canada Soccer Player of the Year awards, and three club team championships. Sinclair is also an Officer in the Order of Canada, the highest honor that can be given to a civilian in Canada. She will be truly missed in the global game and leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire for generations.