Christian Sinclair signs extension contract with NWSL Portland Thorns
Christian Sinclair (Canada Captain) has signed an extended contract with Portland Thorns with an option for the 2023 NWSL season.
Christian Sinclair signs extension contract with NWSL Portland Thorns
Christian Sinclair (Canada Captain) has signed an extended contract with Portland Thorns with an option for the 2023 NWSL season.
The 38-year old forward from Burnaby, B.C., who led Canada as a captain to Olympic Gold in Tokyo last summer, said she has decided to play the next session with Canada and Portland leading up to the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
“I feel good and healthy,” said Sinclair, “especially with the turnabout from the Olympics to the (2023) World Cup there’s competency this summer. I told Canada Coach that I will take it year by year but count me in the team.”
“We are excited to re-sign Sinclair because now she can continue her career as Thorn. She has always been Thorn and she has always made it clear that always wants to remain as the part of Thorn.” Said Portland GM Karina LeBlance, A former teammate of Sinclair’s with the Thorns and Canada.
What she has done for the team as a leader, for this community and this organization has been massive. She is also a great human being and an epitome to be idealized by the rest of Thorns.
On January 17 in Zurich FIFIA honoured Sinclair with the best FIFA special award during its best FIFA Football Awards gala. This year marks Sinclair’s 10th since she has been a member of Portland and she has also starred for the University of Portland Pilots.
She has been a motivating and leading force to help Thorns win two NWLS championships (2013, 2017), two NWSL Shields (2016, 2021), the NWSL Fall Series (2020), NWSL Challenge Cup (2021) and Women’s International Champions Cup (2021).
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She is the club’s career leader in the games that were played (143), games started (140), minutes played (12, 404) and goals (54).
“Sinclair has been the one who proudly represented the Thorns organization since the very first day of the NWSL,” Said the head coach Rhian Wilkinson, who also has the experience of the game alongside Sinclair with Canada and Portland. Her ability to maintain the high professional standard, her deep understanding of the game, her finishing expertise, and her leadership qualities make her a player makes us our proud representative.”
During the 2021 regular season, she played 15 matches for Portland and scored five goals and one assist, and in eight seasons, she scored five goals in assist. She has been and still is the only player to start and play in every playoff game in club history.
Before kicking off the league’s 10th anniversary, NWSL teams are going to open training camp next Tuesday, with group play for the NWSL challenge cup.
Before joining Portland, Sinclair played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the W- League and FC Gold Pride and Western New Flash in the WPS.
