When we talk about soccer, we mostly talk about players like Ronaldo, Messi, Pele and Puskas. What is rarely spoken about is the multiple phenomenal female soccer players who have graced the beautiful game of soccer.
So in honour of Women’s History Month I bring to you three female soccer players, who inspire me, and who I look up to on a day to day basis.
Starting off with a Canadian legend, nope, it’s not Wayne Gretzkey, nope it’s not Alphonso Davies, it’s none other than your current all-time female leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair. Sinclair, like many of the other players who have graced the game,have debuted at a really early age, Sinclair, made her debut with the Canadian national team as a 16 year old in the Algarve Cup. Sinclair’s 186 international goals makes her the most successful soccer player to ever play for Canada.
Sinclair has undoubtedly, through her skill and leadership on the field and ability to create goals and most known for to score goals, has been the textbook definition of being the inspiration for any girl who wishes to play soccer or is playing soccer. As Sinclair said ‘it’s “It’s been a process to understand that we’re all different types of leaders.” Sinclair holds truth to the fact that we’re all unique and different and must acknowledge that and shape it into our day to day lives.
Moving onto Mia Hamm, the third all time international goalscorer, having netted 158 international goals with the USA team. Mia’s goals and her playing style was a major role for the two women’s world cup winning teams in 1991 and 1999. Mia also has two olympic gold medals and a silver olympic medal.
If one thing is for sure is if Hamm was on the field, the opposition’s defenders day was not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, her pace, and skillful dribbling skills is a double threat to any goalkeeper. Her skills assist her in either crossing to her teammates in the box, or her skill of vision to create space, and ability to score is what has made her one of the greatest well known players of her generation. What makes her one of the greatest athletes of her generation is the mentality she has towards the sport. Her own words say it best “celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed”.
On the topic of succeeding it would be unfair to Marta Viera Da Silva to not mention her in this conversation which brings me to my third female soccer hero. Marta has won the FIFA female world player of the year award for 5 years consecutively, with multiple silver medals with the Brazilian team as well. Marta’s game style is all-round her capability to dribble through a defensive line, and to use her scoring ability which is certainly one with style and flair, has dropped jaws and opened up a new age of female soccer.
Just like Marta says “believe in yourself and trust yourself because if you don’t believe in yourself no one else will”. So from Marta’s, wise words and her successful soccer career she still paves into history till this day, we can truly see that belief in oneselves confidence and desire to succeed can really take you places and make you accomplish things most people only dream of!
Unbenched Sports 