The past 10 years have been a showcase of dominance for Burnaby’s Christine Sinclair.
Standing one-goal away from the world record on the international scene, Sinclair was recognized this week when Canada Soccer named her the Player of the Decade.
A national team member since 2000, the Burnaby South alumna is the current Canadian captain and has 184 goals while wearing the red and white, just one goal back of retired American Abby Wambach.
“Christine Sinclair is a once-in-a-generation athlete that has been at the heart of Canadian sport for over 20 years, but what she accomplished in the past 10 years has changed the sport forever in our country,” Canada Soccer president Steven Reed said in a press release. “Christine is the Canada soccer player of the decade and unquestionably one of the greatest and most-loved athletes Canada has ever watched.”
It is the first time Canada Soccer has chosen a player of the decade. The release remarked how the 36-year-old has delivered “an unparalleled 10 years of world-class performances in which she continued to build a legacy as one of Canada’s greatest athletes of all time.”
Beginning as a 16-year-old youth from Burnaby, Sinclair has elevated Canada’s profile on the international stage, leading the team in scoring for 16 years. She won the association’s Female Player of the Year an incredible 14 times – carrying off the 2012 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete after scorching opposing goalkeepers for 23 international goals in 22 games.
Her latest goal came last month in a 3-0 win over New Zealand.
Over her career, Sinclair has played in 289 games for Canada, scored 10 times over 21 FIFA World Cup games, and 11 goals in 15 Olympic tournament games.
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