Christine Sinclair has always wanted to leave soccer in a better place for future players.

The Canadian legend believes her latest role as part owner of Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 new professional women91裸聊视频檚 soccer team will do just that.

Vancouver Rise FC announced Monday that Sinclair is joining Greg Kerfoot in the club91裸聊视频檚 ownership group as the National Super League prepares to launch in April.

91裸聊视频淭he future of soccer in Canada depends on the Northern Super League, depends on clubs like Vancouver Rise,91裸聊视频� Sinclair said on a video call. 91裸聊视频淎nd I91裸聊视频檓 honoured and privileged to be a part of it.91裸聊视频�

Kids need to see women91裸聊视频檚 professional sports to know that they, too, can play for a living, the soccer star said.

91裸聊视频淚 think of myself as like a 10-year-old, if I had the opportunity to go watch women91裸聊视频檚 professional soccer every second weekend, how that would have impacted my life, how that would have changed my life,91裸聊视频� Sinclair said.

91裸聊视频淏ecause I was convinced I was going to be a major-league baseball player because that91裸聊视频檚 all I could see on TV. These young girls growing up will have a completely different reality.91裸聊视频�

Hailing from Burnaby, B.C., Sinclair is one of Canada91裸聊视频檚 most revered athletes and ended her international career last year as the world91裸聊视频檚 top goal scorer with 190 goals.

She helped the women91裸聊视频檚 national team win gold at the Tokyo Olympics, and bronze at both the 2016 Games in Rio and the 2012 Games in London.

Last month, the 41-year-old Sinclair announced that she will retire from professional soccer later this year after playing her 11th season with the Portland Thorns of the National Women91裸聊视频檚 Soccer League.

The Thorns are set to play the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite team in a CONCACAF W Champions Cup match at B.C. Place in Vancouver on Oct. 15 before closing the regular season campaign on Nov. 1.

Being unable to play professional soccer for a Vancouver team is one regret that Sinclair said will linger as her playing days come to a close.

91裸聊视频淭hat would have been a dream,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淭hat would have been a dream,91裸聊视频� said Sinclair, who previously played semi-pro soccer with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL W-League. 91裸聊视频滲ut when you know you91裸聊视频檙e done, you91裸聊视频檙e done. And I91裸聊视频檓 gladly hanging up the boots at the end of this season.91裸聊视频�

Rise sporting director Stephanie Labbe admitted she hoped she would see her former national team teammate don a Vancouver jersey, but understood Sinclair91裸聊视频檚 decision.

91裸聊视频淚 know all too well that feeling of when you91裸聊视频檙e ready to retire, you91裸聊视频檙e ready to retire and move on to what91裸聊视频檚 next,91裸聊视频� Labbe said. 91裸聊视频淪o it was a quick change of direction from, 91裸聊视频榃ell, if you91裸聊视频檙e not coming as a player, what else can you do? How else can we get you involved?91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a no-brainer for me to have Sinc involved in the club in some capacity.91裸聊视频�

Launching a new league is nothing new for Sinclair. She was involved when the now-defunct Women91裸聊视频檚 Professional Soccer made its debut in 2009, and when the NWSL began in 2013.

Those experiences have shown what91裸聊视频檚 important for a new league, she said, from how much players are paid to how many teams are included.

91裸聊视频淚 think previous leagues started way too big and then weren91裸聊视频檛 able to sustain themselves,91裸聊视频� Sinclair said. 91裸聊视频淚 think what the Northern Super League is doing is starting at a realistic base.91裸聊视频�

With six founding teams in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax, the NSL is set to kick off its inaugural season in April. Each team is set to play a 25-game schedule next year.

Labbe said she expects Rise will announce the club91裸聊视频檚 first player signings and head coach in the next several weeks.

Sinclair declined to say what her ownership percentage will be, calling it instead 91裸聊视频渁 small chunk91裸聊视频� and saying her role will be to bring awareness to the club and help it grow.

91裸聊视频淲hatever they need from me, I91裸聊视频檒l be there to help support,91裸聊视频� she said.

The appetite and support for women91裸聊视频檚 sports is growing, Sinclair said, so joining the NSL 91裸聊视频渕akes perfect sense.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he time is now for women91裸聊视频檚 sports,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚f you go across Canada 91裸聊视频� obviously we did with the national team 91裸聊视频� people are begging to be able to watch professional sports here in Canada, women91裸聊视频檚 professional sports.91裸聊视频�