The joy on their faces is etched into history. Who can forget the sight of Canada’s red-jerseyed women erupting in jubilation two summers ago to celebrate their Olympic gold-medal victory in Tokyo, secured after a breathtaking series of penalty kicks against Sweden.
That beloved team hopes to grip a Canadian audience again, at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. It’s been a bumpy trip for this team – including injuries to key players and a labour dispute with their national federation. But this is the best shot Canada has had to contend for that trophy.
Canada celebrates with their gold medals after defeating Sweden in the penalty shoot-out in the women's soccer final during the summer Tokyo Olympics in on August 6, 2021.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
Earning Olympic gold in 2021 was an impressive feat. The Canadian women, with Olympic bronze medals in their pockets from 2012 and 2016, successfully followed the charge from manager Bev Priestman to “change the colour of the medal.”
But the World Cup is the biggest and best international event in women’s soccer. It will include more teams than the Olympic tournament, more fans and more global attention. Canada’s best finish in seven consecutive appearances in the Women’s World Cup was fourth in 2003. This team wants more.
“A lot of people view the Olympics as ‘oh, it was just lucky,’” said Canadian Olympic champ Vanessa Gilles, a centre-back who plays pro for Lyon in France. “I think we’re going into it as underdogs, even with a gold medal and two bronze medals. We’ve never got that trophy or been in the final at the World Cup, and we’re hoping to prove our point this year.”
A guide to the 2023 Women's World Cup
The Tokyo Olympics had 12 teams, a tournament played over two weeks – albeit in scorching heat – but with no fans in the stands for inspiration. There will be 32 countries – expanded from 24 at the 2019 edition – vying for this World Cup. It will be contested over a month, with more than a million tickets already sold, on track to be the most-attended in the event’s 32-year history.
“It will be the biggest, greatest FIFA Women’s World Cup that there has ever been,” Priestman said.
There are eight groups of four and Canada’s has been described as the Group of Death. The Canadians, No. 7 in the world rankings, are in Group B along with host Australia (10), Ireland (22), and Nigeria (40).
The gruelling travel will challenge the Canadians. They will crisscross from Melbourne to Perth and back to Melbourne for their three games in the group stage. The top two finishers from each group will advance to the knockout round.
Facing the Matildas before a boisterous home crowd Down Under will be taxing. The Aussies feature one of the biggest stars in the game – Sam Kerr, the striker known for her backflipping celebrations, and the only female soccer player to have won the Golden Boot in three different leagues on three different continents.
Canada's Adriana Leon celebrates with her teammates after scoring her team's second goal during a friendly soccer international between Canada and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.Rick Rycroft/The Associated Press
Canada can take confidence from having played Nigeria and Australia twice in friendlies in 2022. The Canadians won both games in Australia and earned a win and a draw against Nigeria in B.C.
Canadian and Chelsea star defender Kadeisha Buchanan said of Priestman: “I’m not saying that she knew that we’re going to draw Nigeria and Australia, but it’s great that she planned that out. I think she’s just very detailed in the way she plans.”
Canada’s preparations were thrown into disarray when the squad went on strike at the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando in February. Facing cuts to their program just months away from their biggest event, the women demanded equitable treatment from Canada Soccer. They were forced back to work after one day by a threat of legal action. While the two sides have been negotiating since, the dispute lingers.
Spectators at the SheBelieves Cup show their support for Canada's women's soccer team, who went on strike during the tournament, in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 16, 2023. Facing cuts to their program just months away from their biggest event, the women demanded equitable treatment from Canada Soccer.The Associated Press
The Canadian women asked their federation for a send-off game on home soil before heading to the World Cup, but did not get one – a sore spot for the players. However, they did tie England 0-0 in closed-door training match in Bokarina, Australia on Friday.
“I think this year hasn’t been the easiest for us as the national team,” Gilles said. “Everybody goes into it with stress – us maybe more so with what’s been going on – but it’s just going to be focusing on ourselves and controlling the controllables.”
The Canadian women reported to training camp in the Gold Coast on June 28, to acclimatize to Australian time and weather conditions, and bond as a group. They celebrated Canada Day together, among other things singing along to Bryan Adams songs.
Several key players have battled to return, including Nichelle Prince (ACL), Shelina Zadorsky (illness) and Deanne Rose (Achilles). Prince, Zadorsky and Rose made the team; Desiree Scott did not. Canada will also be without veteran Janine Beckie, ruled out in March when she tore her ACL, as well as Jade Rose, who recently withdrew because of an injury in training.
Canada defender Shelina Zadorsky (left) battled a succession of medical issues this year to make the world cup team, including COVID-19, glandular fever and celiac disease.The Associated Press
“Being a part of this team is what I love to do, and reaching performances that I know are still in me,” said Zadorsky, a veteran Canadian defender who plays for Tottenham Hotspur in England and was off the field with a succession of medical issues this year, including COVID-19, glandular fever and celiac disease.
And despite Canada’s challenges, she added optimistically, “You have to believe if you’re ever going to make anything happen.”
Canada’s 23-player roster is a blend of women from pro leagues around the world, from Europe to the U.S.-based National Women’s Soccer League. Stars include the trio from Chelsea – Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence and Jessie Fleming. Others are Julia Grosso (Juventus FC), Cloé Lacasse of SL Benfica, Jayde Riviere (Manchester United), Evelyne Viens (Kristianstads) and OL Reign players Jordyn Huitema and Quinn.
This years tournament will be veteran Sophie Schmidt's (left) last World Cup appearance.Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
While veteran Sophie Schmidt (Houston Dash) has already announced this will be her last World Cup, it might be the swan song for others, too, such as Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash) and the greatest soccer player in Canadian history, Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns).
Sinclair, now 40 and embarking on her sixth Women’s World Cup, is FIFA’s scoring record holder, potting more international goals than any man or woman on the planet. She is the leader for the Canadian women’s national team in caps (323), goals (190) and assists (55).
A dual threat stopping shots and with the ball at her feet, Canadian goalie Kailen Sheridan will be in net – her first major international tournament in the No. 1 spot.Christopher Hanewinckel
Kailen Sheridan will be in net. She was behind Stephanie Labbé – whose performances earned her the nickname Canada’s national minister of defence – in Tokyo. Labbé has since retired, and this will be Sheridan’s first major international tournament in the No. 1 spot. The San Diego Wave star, a dual threat stopping shots and with the ball at her feet, was the NWSL’s goalkeeper of the year for 2022.
With such strength in the back, Canada has always prioritized defending. But there is quality in the attack, too.
“I think over the years, we were known as a team that was just defensive minded, a team that just practically just defends for its life,” Riviere said. “We’ve gained confidence, and Canada is now one of the countries that people are talking about because we put ourselves on the top of the podium. We’re not taken lightly and I think that that’s different.”
Team Canada's manager Bev Priestman, who will be leading the team during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, attends the world cup draw ceremony in Auckland on October 22, 2022.WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images
Riviere said Priestman has encouraged her to attack, too, adding that Priestman has given players the “licence to go off the page a bit and bring your identity. … She’ll tell me to take the handbrake off and go.”
But those who watched Canada play this calendar year might have some concerns about where the goals will come from. The women were 1-3 in 2023 before heading off to the Gold Coast, scoring three goals and conceding six, including a 3-0 loss to Japan at the SheBelieves Cup. They looked off their form from 2022, when the side reached the CONCACAF W Championship final and went 9-1-2.
Canada has enough talent to emerge from Group B. But can the Canadians steal the spotlight from tournament darlings such as England, the European champions, or the United States, the two-time defending World Cup champs?
“We want to hoist that trophy in the end,” Buchanan said. “No matter what people expect us to do, I think we hold the highest expectations of ourselves.”