TOKYO 2020 WOMEN'S SOCCER TOP GOALSCORERS
WOMEN'S SOCCCER
“SOCCER IS SUCH A JOY IN MY LIFE AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE SEE THEY CAN BE THEMSELVES AND CONTINUE TO PLAY SPORTS AND THERE'S A PLACE FOR THEM.”
"I'll be honest, the last couple days have been really … I've struggled in terms of anxiety. Being overwhelmed,” said Labbe after the match. “But my mental strength came in. When I step on the pitch, that's my comfort zone." For Sinclair, who has been a member of the senior national team for 20 years and holds the record for most international goals scored at 187, the moment had been years in the making. But as she has done throughout the years, her focus was on what this means for her teammates and for the women’s game in Canada. “I can’t even describe this right now,” said Sinclair after the match. “We came here with the goal of changing the colour of the medal and we landed on the podium. Never say die.” The moment was also not lost on defender Quinn, who became the first-ever open
transgender and non-binary player to win an Olympic medal. "What I want to do is make sure kids keep playing sports. For me that was so important. Soccer is such a joy in my life and I hope that people see they can be themselves and continue to play sports and there's a place for them." The victory cements Canadian women’s soccer at the top of the international game, but the work for acceptance and development continues. For Sinclair, the next goal for Canadian women’s soccer is simple: a professional domestic league. “The next step is we have to get a professional league and teams in Canada. I think it’s unacceptable the Olympic champions don’t have a professional environment in Canada. That’s the next task.”
NAME
COUNTRY
GOALS
V. Miedema
Netherlands
10
Sam Kerr
Australia
6
Ellen White
Great Brittain
6
Barbara Banda
Zambia
6
S. Blackstenius
Sweden
5
Wang Shuang
China
4
Lieke Martens
Netherlands
4
Marta
Brazil
3
L. Beerensteyn
Netherlands
3
Fridonlina Rolfo
Sweden
3
Andressa
Brazil
2
Debinha
Brazil
2
Janine Beckie
Canada
2
Jessie Fleming
Canada
2
Mina Tanaka
Japan
2
Victoria Pelova
Netherlands
2
S. van de Sanden Netherlands
2
Lina Hurtig
Sweden
2
Carli Lloyd
USA
2
Megan Rapinoe
USA
2
ABOVE: Quinn, the first-ever open transgender and non-binary player to win an Olympic medal. RIGHT: Janine Beckie tied Jessie Fleming for the most goals for Team Canada during the olympics BOTTOM: Shelina Zadorsky, Canadian & Tottenham Hotspur defender
FINAL STANDINGS
20
SOCCER360 SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021
GOLD: CANADA
SILVER: SWEDEN
BRONZE: USA
4TH: AUSTRALIA
5TH: GREAT BRITTAN
6TH: NETHERLANDS
7TH: JAPAN
8TH: BRAZIL
