Christine Sinclair, the world’s top international goal scorer among both women and men, played her final match with the Canadian national team.
Sinclair, 40, ended her 23-year national team career with a 1-0 victory against Australia on Tuesday at Vancouver’s BC Place — renamed Christine Sinclair Place for the occasion.
Sinclair has scored 190 goals since she made her national team debut in 2000. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, the game’s top scorer among men, has 128 international goals.
It was Sinclair’s 331st appearance for Canada, second only in international soccer to retired US star Kristine Lilly, who played in 354 games.
“To see the growth of the game, see where it’s at now, and the opportunities that are available, whether it’s in the national team or playing pro. Honestly I never thought in my career that this was going to happen. And I just feel fortunate to be a part of that growth and it’s incredible to experience the change,” she said before the match.
More than 45,000 fans were on hand for the game. In addition to Sinclair, the team also honored midfielder Sophie Schmidt, who played in her final game after a 19-year national team career, and former goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who retired in January.
“Tonight, the world’s greatest goalscorer — Christine Sinclair — is stepping onto the pitch with Team Canada for the last time. @Sincy 12, thank you for inspiring all of us. Your impact on the game, and on sports in Canada, is something we’ll be celebrating for quite some time,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on social media.
