Christine Sinclair

Canadian forward and the all-time leading international goalscorer in football history, male or female, with 190 goals for Canada across a 24-year career

Christine Margaret Sinclair was born on 12 June 1983 in Burnaby, British Columbia, and developed her game through Vancouver-area youth clubs before earning a scholarship to the University of Portland, where she became one of the most prolific scorers in college soccer history. She made her senior debut for Canada in 2000 at just 16 years old, beginning an international career that would eventually make her the most decorated player, male or female, in Canadian soccer history. Sinclair spent the bulk of her club career with the Portland Thorns, whom she joined at the National Women's Soccer League's founding in 2013 and represented for over a decade, becoming the face of the franchise. Her combination of physical strength, exceptional finishing, and calm composure under pressure made her one of the most feared forwards of her generation across two decades of professional competition. Sinclair's crowning international achievement came at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when she captained Canada to its first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sport, having previously led the team to consecutive bronze medals in 2012 and 2016. In December 2020, she became the all-time leading goalscorer in international football history for either gender, surpassing American Abby Wambach's record of 184 goals — a milestone recognised by FIFA with a special award in 2022. Sinclair retired from international duty in 2023 with 190 goals in 331 appearances for Canada, a record that stands as the benchmark for the sport worldwide. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017 and inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2013. In 2025, the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame waived its standard five-year waiting period to induct her immediately after retirement — the first player ever to receive that honour.

Powerful target forward with clinical finishing, strength in the air and elite composure in front of goal

Redefined the ceiling for goalscoring in international football and became the enduring face of Canadian soccer for a generation

• Olympic Gold 2020
• Olympic Bronze 2012
• Olympic Bronze 2016
• CONCACAF Women's Championship 1998
• Canada Soccer Player of the Year 14x

Club Career

Club	Period	Apps	Goals
Vancouver UBC Alumni	1999–2001	4	1
Vancouver Angels	2000–2000	19	11
Vancouver Breakers	2001–2002	10	9
Vancouver Whitecaps FC	2006–2008	21	10
FC Gold Pride	2009–2010	40	16
Western New York Flash	2011–2012	15	10
Portland Thorns	2013–2024	204	82
Canada	—	331	190