Abbotsford鈥檚 Sophie Schmidt will make her final appearance in Canadian colours at BC Place on Tuesday (Dec. 5).
Schmidt and the Canadian women鈥檚 national soccer team welcome Australia for a friendly and it marks the end of over 18 years wearing the red and white.
It will be her 225th appearance for Canada, which ranks second all-time behind only Christine Sinclair.
鈥淪ophie, although she initially left international football at the end of the FIFA World Cup, this opportunity to play one more time with her best mates in front of family and friends was just too unique,鈥� stated Bev Priestman, the national women鈥檚 team head coach. 鈥淚t gives her the platform she deserves to say her goodbye properly from the National Team as she knows best, on the pitch.鈥�
Sophie Schmidt Retirement Tribute 馃崄
鈥� CANWNT (@CANWNT)
The final matches of a legendary career.
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The W.J. Mouat grad first represented Canada at the age of 16 in 2005. She went on to represent Canada at four Olympics, five FIFA World Cups and eight Concacaf tournaments.
She collected one gold and two bronze medals at the Olympics. She made her debut at the World Cup in 2007 and scored a goal against Ghana at that event. She also suited up at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 editions of the event. The best that Canada has finished at those events was reaching the quarter-finals in 2015.
She鈥檚 played professionally in Europe and North America and has played with the National Women鈥檚 Soccer League鈥檚 Houston Dash since 2019. Schmidt is the current captain of the Dash.
鈥淚 know I鈥檓 at peace with my decision,鈥� Schmidt stated in a YouTube video posted by Soccer Canada reflecting on her career. 鈥淚 have given every part of my heart and my body to this team and this country. I鈥檓 at a place now where鈥� it鈥檚 time for someone else.鈥�
Schmidt said that her top memory was winning the bronze medal at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. She stated that Canadian fans willed that team to the win and that it was very special. She also thanked her teammates and fans for the memorable times with Canada.
