Christine Sinclair
Christine Margaret Sinclair OC OBC OLY (born June 12, 1983) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and, from 2000 until her retirement from international soccer in 2023, was a member of the Canadian national team. An Olympic gold medallist, two-time Olympic bronze medallist, CONCACAF champion, and 14-time winner of the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award, Sinclair is officially the world's all-time leader for international goals scored for men or women with 190 goals, and is one of the most-capped international soccer players with 331 appearances.
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Sinclair in 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Christine Margaret Sinclair | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | June 12, 1983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Portland Thorns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Burnaby Metro Club Bees | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burnaby Girls SC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cliff Avenue United | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2005 | Portland Pilots | 94 | (110) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Vancouver UBC Alumni | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Vancouver Angels | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Vancouver Breakers | 10 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 21 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | FC Gold Pride | 40 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Western New York Flash | 15 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013– | Portland Thorns | 181 | (68) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Canada U-21 | 4 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Canada U-19 | 15 | (22) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2023 | Canada | 331 | (190) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 16, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of December 5, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Having played over 20 seasons with the senior national team, Sinclair has participated in six FIFA Women's World Cups (United States 2003, China 2007, Germany 2011, Canada 2015, France 2019, Australia and New Zealand 2023) and four Olympic Football Tournaments (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020), captaining the national team to third-place finishes in 2012 and 2016 and first place in 2020. She is one of three players to score at five World Cup editions, alongside Marta and Cristiano Ronaldo.
At the club level, Sinclair has won championships with three professional teams: the 2010 WPS Championship with FC Gold Pride, the 2011 WPS Championship with Western New York Flash, and the 2013, 2017, and 2022 NWSL Championships with Portland Thorns FC. She won the national collegiate Division I championship twice (2002, 2005) with the University of Portland.
Sinclair was shortlisted for FIFA Women's World Player of the Year seven times (2005–08, 2010, 2012, and 2016), and was referred to by college teammate and international rival Megan Rapinoe as the best player to never win the award. She received the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's athlete of the year in 2012, the first soccer player so honoured, and was a two-time recipient of the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada's female athlete of the year (2012, 2020). In September 2013, Sinclair was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame and in June 2017, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston. Sinclair received the Best FIFA Special Award in recognition of her status as the world's all-time leading scorer in 2022.