Christine Sinclair was practically cringing when Sportsnet’s Stephen Brunt asked the Canadian forward about potentially breaking the international goal-scoring record prior to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
She hunched forward, dropped her head, took a deep breath and awkwardly responded.
“It’s very cool,” Sinclair said last June. “For me, it’s more [that] I’m proud to have the longevity that I’ve had and the ability to contribute as long as I’ve had and adapt with the game.
“The thought of potentially a Canadian being at the top of the goal-scoring charts in all of soccer is nuts.”
Seven months later, that possibility is now a reality.
Sinclair scored her 184th and 185th goals for Canada in an 11-0 thrashing of St. Kitts and Nevis at the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship on Wednesday. The latter arrived in the 26th minute, moving the 36-year-old past former American striker Abby Wambach as the most prolific international scorer in soccer history.
“I definitely feel a relief,” Sinclair said post-match. “Especially with the tournament that we’re in right now, there’s some big things to focus on and it’s just nice to get it out of the way in the opening game so now that we can focus on getting better and qualifying for the Olympics.”
That’s Sinclair in a couple of sentences. She’s a leader in every sense of the word. She does not care about personal accolades. She just wants to help Canada achieve the best possible results.
Becoming the all-time international scoring leader didn’t even faze Sinclair, it was just business as usual and now her focus shifts to Canada’s second match against Jamaica on Saturday.
That is why, even at 36 and technically past her prime, Sinclair is a highly valued member of the squad. As talented as this young generation of attackers is, they are still in the dawn of their careers. Having Sinclair – who many grew up idolizing – in the squad is beneficial.
In fact, with Sinclair paving the way, many of the younger players have gained tremendous opportunities abroad that the Canadian captain never experienced.
Jordyn Huitema, considered the brightest young talent of them all, plays for Paris Saint-Germain. Janine Beckie represents Manchester City. Kadeisha Buchanan — a centre-back but still one of the top players in the world — is at Lyon, a club that has dominated women’s club soccer in Europe. They’ve won a record 17 French league titles and six UEFA Women’s Champions League trophies.
The likes of Deanne Rose and Julia Grosso could be the next Canadians plying their trade in Europe once their university careers are over.
Everything Sinclair has done in her career has made it easier for the next generation to make a significant impact in the sport. As the top international goal-scorer, her legendary status is cemented.
It’s also a culmination of sorts. The upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer could be her last major tournament. She was not as spry at the previous Women’s World Cup compared to years past.
Perhaps Huitema’s addition to coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller’s starting 11 could reinvigorate Sinclair and not leave her so isolated. Whenever the 18-year-old entered a match at the World Cup, Canada had a noticeable boost of attacking fluidity. Sinclair finally had a link.
Tactics aside, Sinclair is still a key player for this team. Her composure in front of the goal and experience are two traits that this Canadian side needs. It’s especially apparent against marquee opponents, when Heiner-Moller has preferred to deploy a deeper defensive block and hit teams on the counter-attack. A clinical finisher is a necessity in those systems.
However, there will come a time when Sinclair hangs up the boots for good. It will be a sad day for Canadian sports. But surely when the moment arrives, the upcoming generation will be ready to carry the torch.
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