Canadian Women's National Team Hopes to Inspire a Nation with 2015 World Cup

On Monday, Canadian women’s national team head coach John Herdman named his 23-player roster for the 2015 Women’s World Cup. This summer’s tournament will mark the first time that Canada will host a major soccer tournament, and Herdman’s players are hoping the experience will do as much to boost the game in Canada as the 1999 Women’s World Cup did for women’s soccer in the United States.

In 1999, the United States hosted the World Cup and, in dramatic fashion, won the tournament in penalties over China in front of 90,000 fans in the Rose Bowl. The tournament made players like Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy, Briana Scurry and Kristine Lilly household names, inspired a generation of players—many of whom now form the core of the current U.S. team—and helped lead to the birth of women’s professional soccer in America.

Canadian women’s soccer, however, has always played second fiddle to its southern neighbor, something the current team from Canada is aiming to change.

Speaking to the media after the Portland Thorns' 2-2 draw with the Chicago Red Stars in NWSL action this past weekend, Canadian captain Christine Sinclair and goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc both said they see parallels between this summer’s tournament and the 1999 World Cup in the U.S.

“I’m excited,” Sinclair said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I think back to the 1999 Women’s World Cup in the U.S. and how that tournament changed soccer [in the U.S.]. I think this [World Cup] has the potential to do that in Canada.”

LeBlanc—who will be playing in her fifth World Cup this summer and who has played in all three evolutions of women’s professional soccer in the United States—views the upcoming tournament in nearly identical terms.

“We’re embracing it,” LeBlanc said. “Whenever you get to host a World Cup, it’s an opportunity. As [Americans] have seen, it’s an opportunity to inspire a generation and a nation. We’re embracing it. We’re looking forward to it. It’s an absolute honor.”

Over the years, the U.S. and Canada have developed quite a rivalry, but the U.S. has been dominant. While the U.S. has won the World Cup twice and picked up Olympic gold on four separate occasions, the Canadians have never won a major tournament and failed to even advance out of the group stage in the 2011 World Cup.

But in the 2012 London Olympics, the Canadians came close to besting the Americans before the U.S. won their semifinal matchup in dramatic—and controversial—fashion.

Sinclair nearly willed her side to victory single-handedly that day, scoring a hat trick. However, the U.S. was able to capitalize on two fortuitous calls late in the match and equalized at 3-3 in the 80th minute. Then, Alex Morgan broke Canadian hearts with a 123rd-minute winner in extra time. The Canadians settled for bronze, while the U.S. went on to win gold.

Ironically, Sinclair—who has 153 international goals for Canada—has played most of her career in the United States, both collegiately and professionally. She was an All-American at the University of Portland where she led the team to two national championships and was twice named the Hermann Award winner as the nation’s top player. Playing professional soccer in the U.S., Sinclair has twice led her teams to championships, once in the WPS and in 2013 with the Thorns in the NWSL—where she is also a teammate with Morgan.

But Sinclair also said she thinks this summer’s World Cup could offer an opportunity to bring professional soccer to Canada, just like the 1999 World Cup did for the U.S.

“Hopefully some NWSL teams will end up in Canada in the near future,” Sinclair said. “That’s my hope.”

Canada opens up group play in the World Cup June 6 against China.

John D. Halloran is a writer for Bleacher Report. All quotations for this article were obtained via the press conference following the Chicago Red Stars vs. Portland Thorns match.

Follow me on Twitter @JohnDHalloran.