Christine Sinclair says goodbye again.
The Canadian soccer legend will play her final game at BC Place on Tuesday when her Portland Thorns face Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite FC as part of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) W Champions Cup.
“When I last played here for Canada, I thought it would be my last game here in Vancouver, but this new tournament has definitely allowed me to bring my teammates here,” Sinclair said Monday. “We’re excited to show the Whitecaps what we can do.”
More than 48,000 fans packed BC Place last December when Sinclair played its final game against Canada. This was a 1-0 friendly win over Australia.
A much smaller crowd is expected for Tuesday’s match when the Thorns, a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club currently competing for a play-off spot, take on the Whitecaps, an academy team comprised primarily of teenage players.
The game’s profile was further raised last month when Sinclair, 41, announced he would retire from professional football at the end of the season.
“Obviously I’ve played my entire career in the United States, so it’s a special feeling to play in front of my family,” she said. “They don’t get a chance to come see me play a lot, so it’s always special whenever we play here.”
Sinclair, from Burnaby, BC, is one of Canada’s most respected athletes.
She ended her international career as the world’s top scorer in both men’s and women’s football last year, scoring 190 goals. Her time with the national team includes six Women’s World Cup appearances and five goals, a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and bronze medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and London 2012 Olympic Games.
Her post-playing career includes a role as part-owner of Vancouver Rise FC, a new professional women’s team. The club is one of the founding teams in the Northern Super League, which begins its inaugural season in April.
“Christine’s impact on Canadian soccer and on women in this country is not just in soccer, but in sports as well, where she was an icon on and off the field,” said Whitecaps coach Katie Collar.
“Her ability to set records and still remain a humble person, I think she’s a great role model and a great icon for a lot of players coming up.”
One rising player is Whitecaps forward Kaylee Hunter. The 16-year-old never thought meeting her idol would become a reality.
“This is kind of a dream come true experience,” Hunter said.
Hunter recalls watching Sinclair take the field at BC Place during a friendly game on Team Canada’s celebratory tour after the national team won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I remember watching them out there and thinking, ‘I want to go there someday,’” she said. “Watching these players grow really made me fall in love with the game.”
Now in his 11th NWSL season, Sinclair continues to play an offensive role.
She scored her third goal of the season Friday, helping Portland to a 2-0 win over the Orlando Pride. It was her 80th goal in all competitions and ranks second on the NWSL all-time list.
The Thorns come to Vancouver with a 2-1-0 record in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup and looking to advance to the semifinals in May.
Thorns coach Rob Gale said the team won’t have an easy time against the Whitecaps.
“So for us it doesn’t matter who the opponent is,” he said. “We prepared the same way, with the same diligence and put a team out on the field hoping to win the football game.”
