Christine Sinclair is saying goodbye 91裸聊视频 again.
The Canadian soccer legend will play her final game at BC Place on Tuesday when her Portland Thorns take on the Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite FC as part of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup.
91裸聊视频淲hen I played here last for Canada, I thought that was going to be my last game here in Vancouver. But thanks to this new tournament, I obviously get to bring my teammates up here,91裸聊视频 Sinclair said Monday. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 excited to show the Whitecaps what we91裸聊视频檙e capable of.91裸聊视频
More than 48,000 fans packed BC Place last December as Sinclair played her final game with Canada 91裸聊视频 a 1-0 win over Australia in a friendly.
A significantly smaller crowd is expected for Tuesday91裸聊视频檚 game where the Thorns 91裸聊视频 a National Women91裸聊视频檚 Soccer League club who are currently battling for a playoff spot 91裸聊视频 take on the Whitecaps, an academy team composed mainly of teenage players.
The game91裸聊视频檚 profile got a boost last month when the 41-year-old Sinclair announced she will retire from professional soccer at the end of the season.
91裸聊视频淥bviously for me, it91裸聊视频檚 a special feeling to play in front of my family, having played my entire career down in the U.S.,91裸聊视频 she said. 91裸聊视频淭hey haven91裸聊视频檛 had that many opportunities to come watch me play, so whenever we get to play here, it91裸聊视频檚 always special.91裸聊视频
Hailing from Burnaby, B.C., Sinclair is one of Canada91裸聊视频檚 most revered athletes.
She ended her international career last year as the world91裸聊视频檚 top scorer in both men91裸聊视频檚 and women91裸聊视频檚 soccer with 190 goals. Her time with the national squad included appearing in six Women91裸聊视频檚 World Cups 91裸聊视频 and goals in five 91裸聊视频 an Olympic title in Tokyo, and bronze at both the 2016 Games in Rio and 2012 Games in London.
Her post-playing career includes a role as part-owner of the new professional women91裸聊视频檚 team, Vancouver Rise FC. The club is one of the founding teams in the Northern Super League, which is set to kick off its inaugural season in April.
91裸聊视频淭he impact that Christine has had on Canadian soccer and women in this country 91裸聊视频 not just in the soccer community, but I think in the sports community 91裸聊视频 she91裸聊视频檚 been an icon on and off the pitch,91裸聊视频 said Whitecaps coach Katie Collar.
91裸聊视频淗er ability to set records and to still be the humble person that she is, I think she91裸聊视频檚 a great role model and great icon for a lot of these players that are coming through.91裸聊视频
One of those up-and-coming players is Whitecaps forward Kaylee Hunter. The 16-year-old didn91裸聊视频檛 think facing her idol would ever be a reality.
91裸聊视频淭his is kind of a dream come true experience,91裸聊视频 Hunter said.
Hunter remembers watching Sinclair take the field at BC Place during a friendly on Team Canada91裸聊视频檚 celebration tour after the national squad won Olympic gold in Tokyo.
91裸聊视频淚 just remember watching them out on the field and just thinking, 91裸聊视频業 want to be down there someday,91裸聊视频91裸聊视频 she said. 91裸聊视频淲atching these players growing up, it really just made me fall in love with the game.91裸聊视频
Now in her 11th NWSL season, Sinclair continues to be an offensive force.
She scored her third goal of the season Friday, helping Portland to a 2-0 victory over the Orlando Pride. It was her 80th goal across all competitions, ranking her second on the NWSL91裸聊视频檚 career list.
The Thorns come to Vancouver with a 2-1-0 record in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup and hunting for a spot in May91裸聊视频檚 semifinals.
The squad won91裸聊视频檛 go easy on the Whitecaps, said Thorns head coach Rob Gale.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about us and our performance, building towards the post-season and trying to be better each and every game,91裸聊视频 he said. 91裸聊视频淪o for us, it doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter who the opponent is. We91裸聊视频檙e prepared the same way, with the same diligence and we put a team out on the field that we hope can win the football match.91裸聊视频
That91裸聊视频檚 just fine by Collar.
91裸聊视频淚 think just the fact that they91裸聊视频檙e coming in and not taking us lightly, I think that91裸聊视频檚 an important piece that shows they respect what we91裸聊视频檝e done, and they respect the process that we91裸聊视频檝e gone through in this tournament,91裸聊视频 the coach said.
The Whitecaps finished their League1 B.C. campaign atop the standings with a 10-0-2 record and went on to beat Hamilton in the League1 Canada Inter-Provincial Championship.
The national title came with a spot in the Champions Cup, a 10-team tournament featuring the top women91裸聊视频檚 clubs from North and Central America and the Caribbean. The winner of the tournament will represent CONCACAF at the inaugural FIFA Women91裸聊视频檚 Club World Cup in 2026.
Vancouver has gone 1-2-0 in group play, including a 2-0 loss to the San Diego Wave on Oct. 1 where the 91裸聊视频楥aps held the NWSL side off the scoreboard for the entire first half.
It91裸聊视频檚 a performance the Whitecaps can take a lot of confidence from, Collar said.
Heading into Tuesday91裸聊视频檚 game, she wants her team to replicate that defence and add in some of the offensive play they showcased over the League1 B.C. season.
91裸聊视频淓ach game we91裸聊视频檝e learned different things and each game we91裸聊视频檝e got better playing at this level,91裸聊视频 she said.