Dawn Trussell, Professor of Sport Management & Chancellor's Chair for Research Excellence, Brock University
Laura Harris, Research Assistant, Sport, Allyship, and Inclusion Lab, Brock University
Wed, July 19, 2023
Wed, July 19, 2023
THE CONVERSATION CANADA
A United States women's national team member takes a shot during a FIFA Women's World Cup send-off soccer match in San Jose, Calif., on July 9, 2023. Sponsorship and marketing deals with women athletes are often performative and exploitative.
A United States women's national team member takes a shot during a FIFA Women's World Cup send-off soccer match in San Jose, Calif., on July 9, 2023. Sponsorship and marketing deals with women athletes are often performative and exploitative.
(AP Photo/Josie Lepe)
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is projected to be the most-watched in tournament history and has seen a massive surge in sponsor interest.
The growth in commercial investment of women’s soccer is deserved and overdue. Yet, sponsorship and marketing deals with many women athletes are performative at best as women’s national soccer teams continue to fight for equitable investment from their federations.
Sponsorship is a mutually beneficial exchange of value between multiple parties involving commercial potential. Because many professional women athletes already work multiple jobs to earn a living wage, some are forced to accept unfair deals.
In addition, many corporations are able to cultivate a positive public image while exploiting women’s labour.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is projected to be the most-watched in tournament history and has seen a massive surge in sponsor interest.
The growth in commercial investment of women’s soccer is deserved and overdue. Yet, sponsorship and marketing deals with many women athletes are performative at best as women’s national soccer teams continue to fight for equitable investment from their federations.
Sponsorship is a mutually beneficial exchange of value between multiple parties involving commercial potential. Because many professional women athletes already work multiple jobs to earn a living wage, some are forced to accept unfair deals.
In addition, many corporations are able to cultivate a positive public image while exploiting women’s labour.
Losing sponsorship and labour exploitation
As part of our recent sport management research into this issue, we worked with current professional women soccer players from the United Kingdom (Women’s Championship and Women’s Super League) and the United States (National Women’s Soccer League) who had a sponsorship deal at one time in their careers.
Because our study was centred on storytelling as a form of research, we will share some excerpts from the soccer players we spoke to that highlight the inequities women continue to face in sport.
We also worked with average professional athletes, rather than the upmost elite who have multiple lucrative partnership deals. These average athletes still played in the world’s top leagues, but were not as widely recognized as the top players of their sports.
Olivia’s story of losing sponsorship
A goalkeeper picks up the ball before a FIFA Women’s World Cup send-off soccer match in San Jose, Calif., on July 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)
Olivia is a professional footballer in her mid-twenties who competes in England’s tier one Women’s Super League. While she does not currently have a personal sponsor, she formerly had a partnership with a large shoe and athletic apparel brand that ended abruptly after she changed teams.
Right now, I currently don’t have a sponsor. In men’s soccer, players in the top three leagues will have [brand deals] whereas in women’s soccer it might only be the top players.
I’ve been fortunate because when I signed my first professional contract, I did gain a two-year deal with [a brand]. That being said, I remember trying to get shin pads for the season, and it took about three months just to get a pair.
On Instagram they were like “Olivia this, Olivia that,” but I’d wait a long time for the essentials. The next season I moved teams, and they pulled the sponsorship.
They said the team I was playing for wasn’t what they would class as “tier one” football, even though it was. They were a second-tier club in the men’s game, but the top in the women’s league. I wasn’t expecting it to end and it was brutal.
Olivia’s story reveals how the majority of professional women’s soccer players rarely receive sponsorship deals. Despite moving to a higher ranked women’s club, Olivia’s sponsorship criteria was based on the equivalent men’s team, which was a tier lower.
Sponsors continue to gain positive brand recognition from fans looking to support corporations that endorse women’s sport. Yet, despite this public persona, corporations do not always meaningfully invest in women athletes.
While the significant lack of media coverage afforded to women’s sports may not allow a breadth of professional athletes to be widely known, the women we interviewed believed men players at all levels received unquestioned sponsorship while they had to fight to be seen as valuable despite the surging profitability of women’s sports.
Morgan’s story of labour exploitation
One athlete had an unpaid sponsorship deal with a meal prep service.
(Shutterstock)
Morgan is a professional footballer in her early twenties who competes in England’s tier one Women’s Super League alongside her country’s national team. While she does not currently have a sponsor, she recently completed her first career sponsorship with a meal prep company.
Recently, I did have a food sponsorship deal, that meal prep stuff. It isn’t paid, but I just need to post twice a month when I receive the food and I get to keep all of my meals for free. I actually thought they would make me still pay, but instead they gave me a discount code to give out to other people.
Before I had a sponsorship deal, I thought you had to have a certain look. Like the perfect body. But that’s changed; it’s more how good you are at your actual sport and how active you are on social media.
So far, they’ve been happy with what I’m doing and repost what I do since it’s easier for them to not have to make their own content. At the moment, we have to really prove ourselves to get recognized. So, when we do get media opportunities, it’s something everyone jumps at, even if it’s a two-hour drive away.
Morgan’s story reflects a positive shift away from the over-sexualization of women athletes. Rather than being primarily valued for her physical appearance, Morgan’s athletic ability was recognized as being valuable on its own.
But it also reveals that women athletes are expected to perform the unpaid labour of creating digital partnership content.
Corporate sponsors of women’s sports experience an increase in consumer intent to purchase their products or services around their supposedly equitable brands. But these sponsorship deals are not as equitable as they seem because the women athletes receive little to no financial compensation for their work.
Current state of women’s sports marketing
Despite women’s sport traditionally receiving only one to two per cent of global sport sponsorship dollars, investment is exponentially increasing as media coverage begins to meet consumer demand.
However, while previous sport sponsorship literature has focused on men athletes and mutually beneficial partnerships, it is clear that the power imbalances in women’s sport sponsorship reflect a different exploitative reality.
The state of marketing and sponsorship in women’s sport is far from equitable — even though it may be portrayed as otherwise in media coverage. The women in our study discussed how male athletes receive substantial financial and brand-specific compensation for their sponsorship deals. In contrast, the women felt like they just had to be grateful for whatever they had been given.
While positive change has been seen, especially surrounding this year’s Women’s World Cup, there is still much work to be done by women’s soccer organizations and corporate sponsors to create a more equitable sporting future.
This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.
It was written by: Laura Harris, Brock University and Dawn Trussell, Brock University.
Read more:
FIFA Women’s World Cup: Gender equity in sports remains an issue despite the major strides being made
Women’s football review proposes hard-hitting changes to address ongoing inequalities
Dawn Trussell receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Sport Canada.
Morgan is a professional footballer in her early twenties who competes in England’s tier one Women’s Super League alongside her country’s national team. While she does not currently have a sponsor, she recently completed her first career sponsorship with a meal prep company.
Recently, I did have a food sponsorship deal, that meal prep stuff. It isn’t paid, but I just need to post twice a month when I receive the food and I get to keep all of my meals for free. I actually thought they would make me still pay, but instead they gave me a discount code to give out to other people.
Before I had a sponsorship deal, I thought you had to have a certain look. Like the perfect body. But that’s changed; it’s more how good you are at your actual sport and how active you are on social media.
So far, they’ve been happy with what I’m doing and repost what I do since it’s easier for them to not have to make their own content. At the moment, we have to really prove ourselves to get recognized. So, when we do get media opportunities, it’s something everyone jumps at, even if it’s a two-hour drive away.
Morgan’s story reflects a positive shift away from the over-sexualization of women athletes. Rather than being primarily valued for her physical appearance, Morgan’s athletic ability was recognized as being valuable on its own.
But it also reveals that women athletes are expected to perform the unpaid labour of creating digital partnership content.
Corporate sponsors of women’s sports experience an increase in consumer intent to purchase their products or services around their supposedly equitable brands. But these sponsorship deals are not as equitable as they seem because the women athletes receive little to no financial compensation for their work.
Current state of women’s sports marketing
Despite women’s sport traditionally receiving only one to two per cent of global sport sponsorship dollars, investment is exponentially increasing as media coverage begins to meet consumer demand.
However, while previous sport sponsorship literature has focused on men athletes and mutually beneficial partnerships, it is clear that the power imbalances in women’s sport sponsorship reflect a different exploitative reality.
The state of marketing and sponsorship in women’s sport is far from equitable — even though it may be portrayed as otherwise in media coverage. The women in our study discussed how male athletes receive substantial financial and brand-specific compensation for their sponsorship deals. In contrast, the women felt like they just had to be grateful for whatever they had been given.
While positive change has been seen, especially surrounding this year’s Women’s World Cup, there is still much work to be done by women’s soccer organizations and corporate sponsors to create a more equitable sporting future.
This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.
It was written by: Laura Harris, Brock University and Dawn Trussell, Brock University.
Read more:
FIFA Women’s World Cup: Gender equity in sports remains an issue despite the major strides being made
Women’s football review proposes hard-hitting changes to address ongoing inequalities
Dawn Trussell receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Sport Canada.
Women's World Cup: Canadian interest higher than for men’s tournament, poll shows
Canadian women relaxed ahead of World Cup opener but still face some injury issue
MELBOURNE, Australia — Canada looked relaxed at training Wednesday ahead of its FIFA Women's World Cup opener against Nigeria, although several players appeared to be working at their own pace.
Midfielder Jessie Fleming was mostly a spectator in the portion of the morning practice open to the media at a local soccer club. And forwards Deanne Rose and Nichelle Prince, who are both returning from Achilles injuries, worked out on their own under the direction of a trainer.
"A few players are on their own individual plan," said Canada coach Bev Priestman, downplaying an injury question. "Today was a light day … You would have seen Deanne, Nichelle doing some specific work on their rehab. So yeah, I think Jessie should be fine."
One hopes so.
Fleming is one of Canada's most important cogs. The 25-year-old Chelsea midfielder, at her third World Cap with 115 caps and 19 goals on her Canada resume, makes things happen.
The seventh-ranked Canadians open play Thursday night (10:30 p.m. ET) against No. 40 Nigeria at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Injuries have dogged Canada in the lead-up to the tournament. The hope was that storyline was done.
Prince and Rose were in a race against time to recover in time for the tournament. While they made it, veteran midfielder Desiree Scott (186 caps) was not deemed healthy enough to make the roster. Defender Jade Rose, a rising star, also had to drop out of the pre-tournament camp due to injury while influential forward Janine Beckie was ruled out in March after having knee surgery.
The injuries have slowed Canada's momentum.
The Canadian women had won five straight going into their final match of 2022 when Prince was taken off in a stretcher in a 2-1 loss to Brazil in November in Sao Paulo.
"We've got a teammate out. We stick together … I need you to stick together" Priestman told her team in a post-match huddle after the Brazil game.
Canada has gone 3-1-0 this year, scoring just three goals. Three of those games were at the SheBelieves Cup in the U.S. in February when the players' focus was clouded by the ongoing labour dispute with Canada Soccer.
An interim deal covering compensation for the World Cup is near completion and the Canadian brain trust had hoped a lengthy pre-tournament camp in Australia would allow the team to find its feet again. Concern over Fleming and question-marks over how many minutes Prince and Rose have in them to start the tournament are not what the doctor ordered.
Despite that the mood was light at training.
The three goalkeepers were the first onto the field, busting some moves to Madonna's "Vogue" and S Club 7's "S Club Party."
"We're really excited to get going," said Kailen Sheridan, Canada's No. 1 goalkeeper. "We've been here for a couple of weeks. I think the anticipation is getting high … We've loved our time so far but there's nothing like playing a World Cup game."
Priestman was all smiles as she met the media.
"We're here and we're excited and we're ready to go," she said. "We've kept it fresh. I've talked a lot about being fresh and being fresh when it really matters later in the tournament. And everything we've done has been designed that way.
"So absolutely the fun you've seeing them have, I think this team is at its best when it's having fun."
Asked about the pressure of being Olympic champion going into the tournament, Priestman referenced a favourite metaphor.
"We talk about climbing a mountain. We're just taking one step at a time," she said. "I think we are very much focused on the process. We enjoy the process. And what we do know from the Olympics is you take one game and you grow from it and you get better and better and better.
"So for us, we're not getting too far ahead. We're not looking back too much. We're very much here and taking one step at a time. Pressure, it is new for this group? At the end of the day, I'm not sure the whole world sees us where we should be seen. And that's fine. In many ways it drives this team."
The climb has been a theme Priestman has turned to repeatedly since the Olympic triumph in Tokyo.
"You get to the top of a mountain, you look out, it's all great. But when you look back, actually it is the climb that is the most important thing. Since the minute Tokyo happened, we targeted little things to help us get better and better. And that very much will be the focus in this tournament.
" … We haven't played a lot of games recently. We're going to get better and better and better and learn from it (Game 1). So absolutely it is literally one step and one climb at a time."
The challenge of Canada's Group B schedule grows each game. After Nigeria, the Canadians face No. 22 Ireland and then No. 10 Australia.
The top two teams in the group advance with the pool winner likely avoiding a matchup with No. 4 England, the reigning European champion, in the round of 16.
Veteran midfielder Sophie Schmidt was a picture of calm Wednesday despite acknowledging the Canadian women "have always underperformed at the World Cup."
"We know what we're capable of. We know what our goals are. We're very clear on that. But we need to get the job done Day 1 to set ourselves up for success," she said. "So we're very focused on the Nigeria game."
The Nigerians have had their own pre-tournament issues, unhappy with the lack of support from their federation.
Nigeria has won 11 of the 15 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since its inception in 1991. The Super Falcons won the first seven tournaments did not drop a point until the fourth edition in 2000 and didn't lose their first game until 2002.
But Nigeria finished fourth at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, losing to eventual runner-up Morocco in a penalty shootout in the semifinal and 1-0 to Zambia in the third-place game. The top four teams qualified for the World Cup.
With every other edition of the tournament serving as a World Cup qualifier, Nigeria has qualified for all nine editions of the soccer showcase. The Super Falcons have made the knockout round just twice, however, losing to Brazil in the 1999 quarterfinals in 1999 and Germany in the round of 16 in 2019.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
MELBOURNE, Australia — Canada looked relaxed at training Wednesday ahead of its FIFA Women's World Cup opener against Nigeria, although several players appeared to be working at their own pace.
Midfielder Jessie Fleming was mostly a spectator in the portion of the morning practice open to the media at a local soccer club. And forwards Deanne Rose and Nichelle Prince, who are both returning from Achilles injuries, worked out on their own under the direction of a trainer.
"A few players are on their own individual plan," said Canada coach Bev Priestman, downplaying an injury question. "Today was a light day … You would have seen Deanne, Nichelle doing some specific work on their rehab. So yeah, I think Jessie should be fine."
One hopes so.
Fleming is one of Canada's most important cogs. The 25-year-old Chelsea midfielder, at her third World Cap with 115 caps and 19 goals on her Canada resume, makes things happen.
The seventh-ranked Canadians open play Thursday night (10:30 p.m. ET) against No. 40 Nigeria at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Injuries have dogged Canada in the lead-up to the tournament. The hope was that storyline was done.
Prince and Rose were in a race against time to recover in time for the tournament. While they made it, veteran midfielder Desiree Scott (186 caps) was not deemed healthy enough to make the roster. Defender Jade Rose, a rising star, also had to drop out of the pre-tournament camp due to injury while influential forward Janine Beckie was ruled out in March after having knee surgery.
The injuries have slowed Canada's momentum.
The Canadian women had won five straight going into their final match of 2022 when Prince was taken off in a stretcher in a 2-1 loss to Brazil in November in Sao Paulo.
"We've got a teammate out. We stick together … I need you to stick together" Priestman told her team in a post-match huddle after the Brazil game.
Canada has gone 3-1-0 this year, scoring just three goals. Three of those games were at the SheBelieves Cup in the U.S. in February when the players' focus was clouded by the ongoing labour dispute with Canada Soccer.
An interim deal covering compensation for the World Cup is near completion and the Canadian brain trust had hoped a lengthy pre-tournament camp in Australia would allow the team to find its feet again. Concern over Fleming and question-marks over how many minutes Prince and Rose have in them to start the tournament are not what the doctor ordered.
Despite that the mood was light at training.
The three goalkeepers were the first onto the field, busting some moves to Madonna's "Vogue" and S Club 7's "S Club Party."
"We're really excited to get going," said Kailen Sheridan, Canada's No. 1 goalkeeper. "We've been here for a couple of weeks. I think the anticipation is getting high … We've loved our time so far but there's nothing like playing a World Cup game."
Priestman was all smiles as she met the media.
"We're here and we're excited and we're ready to go," she said. "We've kept it fresh. I've talked a lot about being fresh and being fresh when it really matters later in the tournament. And everything we've done has been designed that way.
"So absolutely the fun you've seeing them have, I think this team is at its best when it's having fun."
Asked about the pressure of being Olympic champion going into the tournament, Priestman referenced a favourite metaphor.
"We talk about climbing a mountain. We're just taking one step at a time," she said. "I think we are very much focused on the process. We enjoy the process. And what we do know from the Olympics is you take one game and you grow from it and you get better and better and better.
"So for us, we're not getting too far ahead. We're not looking back too much. We're very much here and taking one step at a time. Pressure, it is new for this group? At the end of the day, I'm not sure the whole world sees us where we should be seen. And that's fine. In many ways it drives this team."
The climb has been a theme Priestman has turned to repeatedly since the Olympic triumph in Tokyo.
"You get to the top of a mountain, you look out, it's all great. But when you look back, actually it is the climb that is the most important thing. Since the minute Tokyo happened, we targeted little things to help us get better and better. And that very much will be the focus in this tournament.
" … We haven't played a lot of games recently. We're going to get better and better and better and learn from it (Game 1). So absolutely it is literally one step and one climb at a time."
The challenge of Canada's Group B schedule grows each game. After Nigeria, the Canadians face No. 22 Ireland and then No. 10 Australia.
The top two teams in the group advance with the pool winner likely avoiding a matchup with No. 4 England, the reigning European champion, in the round of 16.
Veteran midfielder Sophie Schmidt was a picture of calm Wednesday despite acknowledging the Canadian women "have always underperformed at the World Cup."
"We know what we're capable of. We know what our goals are. We're very clear on that. But we need to get the job done Day 1 to set ourselves up for success," she said. "So we're very focused on the Nigeria game."
The Nigerians have had their own pre-tournament issues, unhappy with the lack of support from their federation.
Nigeria has won 11 of the 15 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since its inception in 1991. The Super Falcons won the first seven tournaments did not drop a point until the fourth edition in 2000 and didn't lose their first game until 2002.
But Nigeria finished fourth at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, losing to eventual runner-up Morocco in a penalty shootout in the semifinal and 1-0 to Zambia in the third-place game. The top four teams qualified for the World Cup.
With every other edition of the tournament serving as a World Cup qualifier, Nigeria has qualified for all nine editions of the soccer showcase. The Super Falcons have made the knockout round just twice, however, losing to Brazil in the 1999 quarterfinals in 1999 and Germany in the round of 16 in 2019.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Christine Sinclair, still hungry and motivated to lead Canada to World Cup glory
Christine Sinclair says she plays her best soccer when she is having fun.
Watch out world. The Canadian captain is healthy and happy going into her sixth World Cup.
"Honestly as of right now, my mindset is just to enjoy it," Sinclair said of the expanded 32-team tournament in Australia and New Zealand. "I'm a perfectionist and I always put so much pressure and stress upon myself that my goal is enjoy this World Cup. My family's coming down … It's the first time they really travelled to watch me play.
"I just want to create amazing memories. And then on the pitch, it's our first time entering the tournament as (Olympic) champions. So we've got a target on our back and we want to prove to the world that what we did in Tokyo wasn't a one-time thing."
At the age of 40, Sinclair continues to be a talismanic figure on the Canadian women's team. Her role may have changed on the pitch — she often plays a more withdrawn role as an attacking midfielder rather than leading the attack and 90 minutes per game is no longer automatic — but she continues to lead and connect her teammates on and off the field.
"She's working really hard," said Canada coach Bev Priestman. "I went to see her in Portland (where she plays for the NWSL Thorns) a couple of months ago, met with her. The look in her eyes, the hunger, she's doing extra work. She's hungry. And a hungry Christine is not someone you want to mess with. She's been getting way more flow and minutes at Portland. I think when you get to that point in your career and that's not there, that was difficult for her last year. But I think she's seems a lot more positive, a lot more in her flow. And I think Christine in her flow is the best you can get.
"All the interactions I've had with her — (she's) positive and excited, ready to lead this group and bring her experience. So yeah, I'm really happy with where she's at."
Seventh-ranked Canada opens the tournament Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET) against No. 40 Nigeria in Melbourne, continuing Group B play against No. 22 Ireland in Perth on July 26 and No. 10 Australia back in Melbourne on July 31.
Sinclair's positivity comes despite a rocky lead-up to the tournament with both Canadian national teams embroiled in a labour dispute with Canada Soccer. As one of the women's player representatives, Sinclair has been front and centre in recent months.
The players are fighting for the next generation as well as themselves.
"If we want to remain relevant, yeah, some things are going to have to change," Sinclair said by way of summary.
The Canadian women, already a tight-knit group before the dispute, have presented a unified front in their battle for equity and the support they need to succeed.
"I think what it's done is reinforce how close we are," Sinclair said of the off-field fight. "I told the team that there's no other group of players I'd rather go to battle with, on or off the pitch."
Sinclair, the world's all-time leading goal-scorer with 190 in 323 senior appearances, is a down-to-earth humble sort who does not seek the spotlight. But her humility and values are at the root of the Canadian team character.
Sinclair and other veterans have made the Canadian team a welcoming environment and home to all.
"As Canadians we're always known to very humble, very welcoming, very kind. And that's no different at the (national team) level," said defender Vanessa Gilles. "Whether you come in for the first time and have veterans like Christine Sinclair, Desiree Scott — all these players who have been there for years, who have been at the top of their game for years — welcome you in and treat you like an equal is incredible.
"And that's the culture that's been developed and definitely worked on … over many many years with the vets having done the foundational work to get us where we are now. But we definitely have a culture and an environment that's conducive to team chemistry, to winning, to be honest with each other. Which not many national teams can be."
Defender Shelina Zadorsky, a veteran of 89 caps, calls Sinclair "a hero to so many Canadians, not just her teammates."
"Her humility has inspired me so much to be a better player, be a better leader and person," Zadorsky added.
After the isolation of the Tokyo Olympics, Sinclair is looking forward to seeing family at the tournament. Her brother, his wife and their two children will be there for the group stage.
But the native of Burnaby, B.C., will be missing two key teammates with influential winger Janine Beckie (101 caps and 36 goals) recovering from knee surgery and veteran defensive midfielder Desiree Scott (186 caps) unable to recover from her own surgery in time for the tournament.
Beckie's absence has been known for a while but Scott made the pre-tournament camp in Australia in an ultimately failed bid to prove her fitness.
"It's tough to see one of your best friends go through what she's having to go through right now," Sinclair said of Scott.
Sinclair has been a constant, making her senior debut at 16 in March 2000 and scoring her first goal two days later in her second outing.
The goals come more rarely these days. Sinclair has not scored in her last 12 internationals and has five goals in her last 33 appearances since breaking Abby Wambach's record of 184 goals with a two-goal performance in an 11-0 thrashing of St. Kitts and Nevis in January 2020 in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier in Edinburg, Texas.
But she continues to lead by example and to provide for others on the pitch.
Priestman credits her captain for her attitude and work ethic, saying she did "brilliantly" in pre-tournament fitness testing.
"What stands out to me now is the level of hunger still," said Priestman. "To be at this many World Cups, Olympic Games … She eventually got that gold medal around her neck but she's not finished. She knows the one thing that this country hasn't done yet is go win a World Cup.
"And I think when you've got that hunger, desire and just work ethic in your captain, any player who puts on the (national team) jersey is really thankful to play alongside Christine."
She also credits Sinclair for continuing to evolve.
"She makes critical passes, is critical to this team," said Priestman. "But what I do know is this team is no longer just about Christine Sinclair. I think we've got the depth across the forward line, the midfield line, to not rely on anyone for every single minute across the tournament and I think that's what you'll see (at the tournament).
"But I think she's critical to this team's success."
Sinclair has shown she still has a nose for the goal with Portland.
She has three goals and an assist in 12 outings with the Thorns this season, showing a deft touch in June when she scored against the Chicago Red Stars, shifting the ball from one foot to another to make room for a shot before hammering the ball past the 'keeper.
Sinclair has yet to confirm her post-World Cup plans with Canada. But important matches lie ahead, starting with a two-match Olympic qualifier against No. 43 Jamaica in September.
The Paris Games are just a year away.
"It's incredible," former Canada teammate Diana Matheson said of Sinclair's ability to keep competing at an elite level. "I think it's maybe one of the understated or undervalued aspects of what an incredible athlete she is. Obviously she's the GOAT because she's the best goal-scorer in the world, period. That's one of the many things that differentiates her.
"But I think the longevity that she's had, the ability to put attention on what she needs to put attention on off the field to keep herself healthy year after year and game after game … has been key to her success. There's very few players who have been able to play as long as Sinc does at the level she's been able to do. That's just more firmly cementing her as the GOAT every year that goes by, I think."
Sinclair credits her strive for perfection as the major reason she has had the career that she's had.
"I'm the type of person that's never satisfied always thinks there's room for improvement, whether it's individually, collectively as a team," she said. "That drives me on a day-to-day basis, whether it's early days in pre-season in Portland or getting ready for a World Cup here in Australia, I have the same mindset. And that's to improve, try and find that one or two per cent that can make a difference when it matters most."
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Christine Sinclair says she plays her best soccer when she is having fun.
Watch out world. The Canadian captain is healthy and happy going into her sixth World Cup.
"Honestly as of right now, my mindset is just to enjoy it," Sinclair said of the expanded 32-team tournament in Australia and New Zealand. "I'm a perfectionist and I always put so much pressure and stress upon myself that my goal is enjoy this World Cup. My family's coming down … It's the first time they really travelled to watch me play.
"I just want to create amazing memories. And then on the pitch, it's our first time entering the tournament as (Olympic) champions. So we've got a target on our back and we want to prove to the world that what we did in Tokyo wasn't a one-time thing."
At the age of 40, Sinclair continues to be a talismanic figure on the Canadian women's team. Her role may have changed on the pitch — she often plays a more withdrawn role as an attacking midfielder rather than leading the attack and 90 minutes per game is no longer automatic — but she continues to lead and connect her teammates on and off the field.
"She's working really hard," said Canada coach Bev Priestman. "I went to see her in Portland (where she plays for the NWSL Thorns) a couple of months ago, met with her. The look in her eyes, the hunger, she's doing extra work. She's hungry. And a hungry Christine is not someone you want to mess with. She's been getting way more flow and minutes at Portland. I think when you get to that point in your career and that's not there, that was difficult for her last year. But I think she's seems a lot more positive, a lot more in her flow. And I think Christine in her flow is the best you can get.
"All the interactions I've had with her — (she's) positive and excited, ready to lead this group and bring her experience. So yeah, I'm really happy with where she's at."
Seventh-ranked Canada opens the tournament Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET) against No. 40 Nigeria in Melbourne, continuing Group B play against No. 22 Ireland in Perth on July 26 and No. 10 Australia back in Melbourne on July 31.
Sinclair's positivity comes despite a rocky lead-up to the tournament with both Canadian national teams embroiled in a labour dispute with Canada Soccer. As one of the women's player representatives, Sinclair has been front and centre in recent months.
The players are fighting for the next generation as well as themselves.
"If we want to remain relevant, yeah, some things are going to have to change," Sinclair said by way of summary.
The Canadian women, already a tight-knit group before the dispute, have presented a unified front in their battle for equity and the support they need to succeed.
"I think what it's done is reinforce how close we are," Sinclair said of the off-field fight. "I told the team that there's no other group of players I'd rather go to battle with, on or off the pitch."
Sinclair, the world's all-time leading goal-scorer with 190 in 323 senior appearances, is a down-to-earth humble sort who does not seek the spotlight. But her humility and values are at the root of the Canadian team character.
Sinclair and other veterans have made the Canadian team a welcoming environment and home to all.
"As Canadians we're always known to very humble, very welcoming, very kind. And that's no different at the (national team) level," said defender Vanessa Gilles. "Whether you come in for the first time and have veterans like Christine Sinclair, Desiree Scott — all these players who have been there for years, who have been at the top of their game for years — welcome you in and treat you like an equal is incredible.
"And that's the culture that's been developed and definitely worked on … over many many years with the vets having done the foundational work to get us where we are now. But we definitely have a culture and an environment that's conducive to team chemistry, to winning, to be honest with each other. Which not many national teams can be."
Defender Shelina Zadorsky, a veteran of 89 caps, calls Sinclair "a hero to so many Canadians, not just her teammates."
"Her humility has inspired me so much to be a better player, be a better leader and person," Zadorsky added.
After the isolation of the Tokyo Olympics, Sinclair is looking forward to seeing family at the tournament. Her brother, his wife and their two children will be there for the group stage.
But the native of Burnaby, B.C., will be missing two key teammates with influential winger Janine Beckie (101 caps and 36 goals) recovering from knee surgery and veteran defensive midfielder Desiree Scott (186 caps) unable to recover from her own surgery in time for the tournament.
Beckie's absence has been known for a while but Scott made the pre-tournament camp in Australia in an ultimately failed bid to prove her fitness.
"It's tough to see one of your best friends go through what she's having to go through right now," Sinclair said of Scott.
Sinclair has been a constant, making her senior debut at 16 in March 2000 and scoring her first goal two days later in her second outing.
The goals come more rarely these days. Sinclair has not scored in her last 12 internationals and has five goals in her last 33 appearances since breaking Abby Wambach's record of 184 goals with a two-goal performance in an 11-0 thrashing of St. Kitts and Nevis in January 2020 in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier in Edinburg, Texas.
But she continues to lead by example and to provide for others on the pitch.
Priestman credits her captain for her attitude and work ethic, saying she did "brilliantly" in pre-tournament fitness testing.
"What stands out to me now is the level of hunger still," said Priestman. "To be at this many World Cups, Olympic Games … She eventually got that gold medal around her neck but she's not finished. She knows the one thing that this country hasn't done yet is go win a World Cup.
"And I think when you've got that hunger, desire and just work ethic in your captain, any player who puts on the (national team) jersey is really thankful to play alongside Christine."
She also credits Sinclair for continuing to evolve.
"She makes critical passes, is critical to this team," said Priestman. "But what I do know is this team is no longer just about Christine Sinclair. I think we've got the depth across the forward line, the midfield line, to not rely on anyone for every single minute across the tournament and I think that's what you'll see (at the tournament).
"But I think she's critical to this team's success."
Sinclair has shown she still has a nose for the goal with Portland.
She has three goals and an assist in 12 outings with the Thorns this season, showing a deft touch in June when she scored against the Chicago Red Stars, shifting the ball from one foot to another to make room for a shot before hammering the ball past the 'keeper.
Sinclair has yet to confirm her post-World Cup plans with Canada. But important matches lie ahead, starting with a two-match Olympic qualifier against No. 43 Jamaica in September.
The Paris Games are just a year away.
"It's incredible," former Canada teammate Diana Matheson said of Sinclair's ability to keep competing at an elite level. "I think it's maybe one of the understated or undervalued aspects of what an incredible athlete she is. Obviously she's the GOAT because she's the best goal-scorer in the world, period. That's one of the many things that differentiates her.
"But I think the longevity that she's had, the ability to put attention on what she needs to put attention on off the field to keep herself healthy year after year and game after game … has been key to her success. There's very few players who have been able to play as long as Sinc does at the level she's been able to do. That's just more firmly cementing her as the GOAT every year that goes by, I think."
Sinclair credits her strive for perfection as the major reason she has had the career that she's had.
"I'm the type of person that's never satisfied always thinks there's room for improvement, whether it's individually, collectively as a team," she said. "That drives me on a day-to-day basis, whether it's early days in pre-season in Portland or getting ready for a World Cup here in Australia, I have the same mindset. And that's to improve, try and find that one or two per cent that can make a difference when it matters most."
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
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