The most prolific goal-scorer (and arguably best player) in the history of women’s international soccer is from Burnaby, B.C.
With a pair of goals against Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday evening in Edinburg, Texas, Christine Sinclair passed Abby Wambach as the all-time leading scorer in international competition.
First, Sinclair tied Wambach with a penalty kick in the seventh minute then added her name to the score sheet again with another goal later in the 23rd minute.
Sinclair’s 185 goals for Canada makes her not just the top goal-scorer in women’s international soccer, but the all-time leading goal-scorer among both men and women.
Directly behind her on the list are United States internationals Abby Wambach (184), Mia Hamm (158) and Kristine Lilly (130).
Given that this is just the latest in a long list of accolades for Sinclair, Sportsnet thought it was fitting to pick the brain of one of the other world class soccer players our country has produced.
As the youngest woman to ever play for the women’s national team, Kara Lang Romero was a young prodigy during the same era as Sinclair and played alongside Sinclair her entire national team career.
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Here’s the Canadian Soccer Hall of Famer’s appraisal of the new record and everything Sinclair has contributed to the sport.
Sportsnet: Christine Sinclair now has 185 goals, the most ever for a female internationally. Put that accomplishment in perspective for people who have never played at that level.
Kara Lang Romero: Scoring one goal on the international stage is a very big deal. Being the all-time leading goal-scorer for your country is a bigger deal. Scoring the most goals ever in the history of the game? Sinclair has just solidified herself as the best goal-scorer to ever live. She was always going to go down as an icon in Canadian sports – with or without this title. Now she will be forever remembered as an icon in the world of sport.
SN: What’s your first memory of Christine Sinclair?
KLR: Playing for Team Ontario in the national championships, I’d heard legends of this player from B.C. who was already playing with the women’s national team at just 17. I remember her walking into the banquet the night before the tournament started and everyone whispering, “That’s her!” “There she is!” I was pretty competitive, so think I said something dumb like, “She can’t be that good.” And now I laugh when I think of that day. It was the first and only time I ever doubted she was anything but magic.
SN: How has her game changed over the years?
KLR: At the beginning of her career she was a reluctant leader. She led more by example. She eventually embraced her role as the face of the team and the game, and became a mentor to her teammates. She is much more vocal on the pitch and in training, but still will always be the kind of person who only speaks when necessary.
As far as style of play, that hasn’t changed much in my opinion. She just continued to become a better version of herself, year after year. There hasn’t been any “reinvention” over the years. Yes, she’s become more sophisticated, more refined, more calculated as she’s gotten older, maybe more of a professional in terms of taking care of her body to prolong her career. But it’s been a steady climb to the top for her. Christine was a killer from Day 1 and she continues to be a killer.
SN: What has impressed you the most about her career?
KLR: She’s one of the few athletes who has completely lived up to their potential in every way. At 17, people said she’d one day be one of the best in the world. And here we are, talking about her scoring the most goals in the history of the game.
Also, for her to still be playing at this level and scoring goals and breaking records like she is speaks to her impressive durability.
SN: What’s her best trait as a player?
KLR: She always sees the simplest and most direct route to the goal, and she’s the definition of finesse.
SN: What’s her best trait as a teammate?
KLR: She’s never been bigger than her team or the game. Despite the fact that she’s carried Canadian soccer on her back for most of her career, she’s never made it about her.
SN: What’s one thing about her most people don’t know that they should?
KLR: That she’s truly just a really good human. The kind of person that deserves all the success in the world.
SN: Where does she rank amongst Canadian female athletes?
KLR: No. 1. She’s the best to ever do it. And probably always will be. So as far as Canadian female athletes go, she’s No. 1.
SN: What will her legacy be after she’s done playing?
KLR: She will go down as the greatest female goal-scorer to ever live.