Defending Olympic champions Canada have named their women’s soccer roster for Paris 2024, with 13 of the 18 players selected part of the squad that won gold in Tokyo three years ago.
Bev Priestman has included six players — Janine Beckie, Kadeisha Buchanan, Jessie Fleming, Ashley Lawrence, Nichelle Prince, and Quinn — who will compete in a third successive Games, having also won bronze at Rio 2016.
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Kailen Sheridan, Vanessa Gilles, Jayde Riviere, Julia Grosso, Jordyn Huitema, Adriana Leon, and Evelyne Viens were also all part of the gold-medal winning roster in Tokyo.
Three Olympic debutants have been included in midfielder Simi Awujo, 20, defender Sydney Collins, 24, and forward Cloe Lacasse, 30.
Goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx, defenders Gabrielle Carle and Shelina Zadorsky and forward Deanne Rose have been named as the four ‘alternates’ who will travel and train with the squad and can be made available in case of injury.
It marks the first Olympics that Canada will compete at without talisman Christine Sinclair following her retirement from international soccer in 2023. Sinclair, whose 190 goals in 331 appearances for her country make her international soccer’s all-time leading goalscorer, represented Canada at four Games. Canada did not qualify for the Olympic women’s soccer tournament before 2008.
Alongside Sinclair, midfielder Sophie Schmidt also retired from international soccer in 2023. The pair are two of six players not on the 18-player Olympic roster who were part of Priestman’s squad at the 2023 World Cup alongside Rose, Zadorsky, Sporting Lisbon midfielder Olivia Smith and Houston Dash defender Allysha Chapman, who had a baby in February.
Double-Olympic medal winner Beckie missed the 2023 World Cup due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury but returns for the Paris Games after making 14 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) appearances for Portland Thorns in 2024.
Collins, Prince and Quinn, who had all been injury concerns ahead of the Olympics, have also been included.
Priestman said: “It was a very difficult task, which speaks to the immense talent in this program. However, I believe we have a squad that blends experience and youth, is positionally balanced, and possesses incredible athleticism and football talent.
”With back-to-back games, intense heat, and tier 1 opposition, it was really important to build a balanced team that could handle these critical factors for the tournament ahead of us.
“We know the rich history this program has at the Olympic Games. Many moments have inspired the young players in this group, not just in what was achieved but in how they achieved it. Those values and behaviours will continue to be critical factors in this team’s success.”
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Canada open their Olympic campaign against New Zealand on July 25. They have also been drawn alongside France and Colombia in Group A.
Priestman’s side won gold in Tokyo after a penalty shootout victory over Sweden in the final, having eliminated world champions the USWNT in the semi-finals.
However, they exited last summer’s World Cup at the group stages, becoming the first Olympic champions to do so. Canada had been contending with off-field issues in the build up to the tournament after a dispute with Canada Soccer over budget cuts to the programme was made public in February.
Canada women’s soccer Olympic roster
Goalkeepers: Sabrina D’Angelo (unattached), Kailen Sheridan (San Diego Wave)
Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea), Sydney Collins (North Carolina Courage), Vanessa Gilles (Lyon), Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea), Jayde Riviere (Manchester United), Jade Rose (Harvard Crimson)
Midfielders: Simi Awujo (USC Trojans), Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns), Julia Grosso (unattached), Quinn (Seattle Reign)
Forwards: Janine Beckie (Portland Thorns), Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign), Cloe Lacasse (Arsenal), Adriana Leon (Aston Villa), Nichelle Prince (Kansas City Current), Evelyne Viens (Roma)
(Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
