Canada: Christine Sinclair
When it comes to the greatest international goal scorers of all time, there are two names that immediately jump to mind: Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach.
Abby Wambach passed fellow American Mia Hamm’s record of 158 goals and went on to score 184, a record that stands above all other international goal scorers in the men’s or women’s game.
But both might soon be eclipsed by Canadian powerhouse Christine Sinclair.
Sinclair, who will turn 36 two days after opening the Women’s World Cup against Cameroon, scored her 180th career international goal in a friendly win over England on April 5. Five goals this summer would give her the all-time record.
While Wambach and Hamm are highly acclaimed for their accomplishments, for Sinclair to be anywhere close to those two is arguably far more impressive. While the U.S. regularly has the best team in the world (or at least the top three), Canada most certainly does not, having only made it out of the group stage at the Women’s World Cup two out of six trips.
Sinclair has not had the luxury of playing with the likes of Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan; she’s had to score her goals while playing on a team that has won just three times against the U.S. women’s national team in nearly 60 tries.
At 36, the powerful forward is likely playing in her fifth and final Women’s World Cup. She’s never scored more than three goals at a World Cup, but with the record in sight and a wide-open Group E, don’t count out Christine Sinclair.
