<p>Christine Sinclair, the world’s most prolific international goalscorer and a beloved sporting icon in Canada has announced her international retirement.</p>



<p>This decision marks the culmination of an extraordinary 24-year international career. During the past two decades, she has played a pivotal role in transforming the sport in her nation.</p>



<p>The long-time <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/canada-national-team-tv-schedule/">Canucks</a> captain has shared her intention to conclude her career with the national team later this year. She will not be participating in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/olympics-soccer-schedule-and-tv-guide/">2024 Olympics</a>. This means Canada will be without her as they defend the Olympic gold medal they earned at the Tokyo Games.</p>



<h2>What did Christine Sinclair say about Canada retirement?</h2>



<p>In a touching and heartfelt letter that she addressed to her 16-year-old self, Christine Sinclair’s words were published in the Canadian newspaper <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/article-christine-sinclair-retirement-letter-to-younger-self/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Globe and Mail</a>.</p>



<p>“I’m writing to you 23 years, six World Cups, four Olympic Games, 327 caps and 190 international goals after it all began.</p>



<p>“Reading this, ‘What more could there be?’ you’ll ask. If you become the most prolific goal scorer of all-time and win an Olympic gold medal, then things must go smoothly, right? Well, pretty soon you’ll discover things aren’t so rosy behind the scenes,” Sinclair writes.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a career for Christine Sinclair 👏🇨🇦 <a href="https://t.co/rInyQomenP">pic.twitter.com/rInyQomenP</a></p>— TSN (@TSN_Sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSN_Sports/status/1715514372976435666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>“You’ll learn Canadian women’s national team players were playing for $10 a day. You will hear the prize money for the Women’s World Cup is going to increase, only for the men’s prize money to increase by more, widening the pay gap. You’ll witness young girls slip though the developmental cracks because of the lack of a legitimate pathway to the national team.</p>



<p>“You will stand up to your federation to push forward on a landmark equal pay agreement for the national team. You’ll help announce that a domestic professional women’s football league is coming to Canada. You will inspire generations of young girls to kick a soccer ball for the first time with real dreams of playing professionally. And you better believe we will continue to fight for what’s right. For equality for past, present and future generations.”</p>



<p>“Here I am preparing to tie the bow on an unbelievable international career shared with so many incredible teammates, coaches, support staff, fans and of course family. We are not here without them. Here I am in the 90th minute of our journey.”</p>



<h2>What does this mean for her club career?</h2>



<p>While retiring from international play, Sinclair has expressed her intention to continue her professional career. Sinclair was a forward for the Portland Thorns in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/womens-soccer-tv-schedule/">National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)</a> since 2013. The superstar plans to extend her career in the NWSL for the upcoming season.</p>



<p>The 40-year-old concluded her letter with a playful and hopeful note, saying, “P.S. – Portland, how about one more year?”</p>



<p>The forward’s farewell matches will be held in Canada before the end of the year. Although no official announcements have been made, it’s expected that a substantial ceremony will be organized, as per <a href="https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/burnaby-soccer-icon-christine-sinclair-retiring-from-canadian-national-team-7711968" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Burnaby Now</a>.</p>



<p>With only two international windows remaining on the 2023 FIFA calendar, fans will have few opportunities to see Sinclair again. Bev Priestman’s players will play against Brazil on October 28, and again three days later.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO &amp; ZUMA Wire</p>


Record holder Christine Sinclair makes emotional Canada choice

Christine Sinclair, an influential player for Canada, has made a challenging decision regarding her international career

Record holder Christine Sinclair makes emotional Canada choice -

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<p>If Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) sides Boston Breakers and Chicago Red Stars have their way, Arsenal America had better get ready for a new wave of members.</p>
<p>This weekend, both Boston and Chicago hit the road to make their WPS debuts, facing the – it has to be said – curiously-named FC Gold Pride (Santa Clara, California) and Saint Louis Athletica (Saint Louis, Missouri), respectively.&nbsp; It will be a huge weekend for all parties involved, but with EPL Talk being by definition an Anglo-centric publication, we’d be amiss if we didn’t zero in on some of England’s finest that have come across the Atlantic Ocean to try and make professional soccer in the United States a success its second time around.</p>
<p>For me, I am going to find it especially interesting to track the progress of Boston’s Kelly Smith and Alex Scott as well as Chicago’s Karen Carney, three England and Arsenal Ladies alumnae who have left the Gunners’ seemingly bulletproof women’s team for the financially greener pastures of the United States and WPS.</p>
<p>Of the three, the spotlight will undoubtedly shine brightest on Smith, who joins the Breakers with prior experience playing in America (first in college at Seton Hall in New Jersey and once again as a professional in the now-defunct Women’s United Soccer Association – I’ll get to that in a bit) and was referred to in the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1163930/It-wrench-leave-Arsenal-I-pass-American-dream-says-England-striker-Kelly-Zidane-Smith.html">Daily Mail</a> this week as the Zinedine Zidane of women’s football.&nbsp; Arsenal fans from N5 to 90210 should be keeping an eye on the entire trio, though, as even though they’ve left North London, their success in the new American league could result in Arsenal’s reputation stateside growing even more than it already has.</p>
<p>As we neared the end of the long hiatus of professional women’s football in the States following the disbandment of the WUSA in 2003 and it became evident that WPS brass had learned from the mistakes of the WUSA’s business model, it also became increasingly likely that the world’s biggest names in the game would soon be on their way.&nbsp; You may notice that I neglected to put ‘women’s’ before ‘game’ there, but with the colossal failure that was Beckham-mania, I suggest that all bets are off as to whether the decade has already seen its greatest British footballer plying their sporting trade in America.</p>
<p>Sure, the WPS probably won’t keep up the kind of attendance numbers that 14,832 fans provided for the league’s inaugural game between Los Angeles Sol and Washington Freedom in California last Sunday.&nbsp; However, if we get to the second Sunday of August and Boston and Chicago stand atop the final regular season standings in WPS’ single table – another thing I like about the WPS, considering MLS’ hesitation to switch away from its format of Eastern and Western Conferences – chances are good that the ex-Arsenal Ladies stars will have played a large part in their new clubs’ success.&nbsp; If that happens, their former employer would be foolish not to try and capitalize on that.</p>
<p>Arsenal Football Club already enjoys an impressive following in North America, and has made even deeper inroads with their business partnership with MLS’ Colorado Rapids.&nbsp; Why not do the same with WPS?&nbsp; The loss of Smith, Scott and Carney to the new American league may have already hurt Arsenal Ladies in the short-term – as indicated by Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Everton, snapping the Gunners’ staggering 108-league game unbeaten streak – but if stateside success helps to further boost the club’s image abroad, surely that’s the best thing for everyone.</p>


Arsenal's Losses to WPS Could Become Gunners’ Gain

Arsenal's Losses to WPS Could Become Gunners’ Gain - World Soccer Talk

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Record holder Christine Sinclair makes emotional Canada choice

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Arsenal's Losses to WPS Could Become Gunners’ Gain