In what could have been Canada star Christine Sinclair‘s last Women’s World Cup match, she and her Olympic champion teammates were knocked out of contention by Australia, 4-0, in a group-stage finale Monday.
“I’m obviously still processing it,” Canada coach Bev Priestman said after the match. “Even hearing you say, ‘Could this be Christine Sinclair’s last game?’ It breaks my heart.”
Sinclair, 40, the all-time leading goalscorer in international soccer, women or men, has played in six Women’s World Cups. Canada finished fourth in her tournament debut in 2003, its best finish to date.
“I think what you’re seeing in women’s football is teams are catching up,” Sinclair said to CBC News following the lost to the Matildas. “I think this for me is a wake-up call for back home. A wake-up call to our federation, and the lack of a professional league. The lack of resources for the national…