This past season has been a difficult one for several Canadian women’s national team players when it comes to injuries and health concerns — whether it be long term injuries, or other physical and mental struggles. With less than a month to go until the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, however, one of Canada’s key players — defender Shelina Zadorsky — says that she is happy, healthy, and ready to push herself in pursuit of the sport’s ultimate prize after a season full of uncertainty.

Zadorsky opened up in April about the extent of a months-long physical and mental battle this season that she says included fighting “covid, illness, fatigue and, honestly, every sick symptom you can name”. That was in turn a strain on her mental health, she admitted. Zadorsky said in a statement that she felt pressure as an athlete to keep pushing herself, even when not feeling well, in order to keep performing at a level that she was happy with and her team could rely on.

After downplaying just how sick she was, she hit a breaking point, and was granted some time away from Tottenham Hotspur — the team she captains at the club level — to recover and get herself into a better place. She watched from the sidelines, missing a handful of matches before being able to get back onto the pitch at the end of the season.

I’ve always believed there’s great power in vulnerability and in owning your truth. Cheers to being true to yourself and hopefully helping others along the way. Swipe through if you want to read. All love ❤️ pic.twitter.com/9gdNryaik5

— Shelina Zadorsky (@Shelina4) April 4, 2023

“After a really challenging year personally and professionally, it’s nice to be back on Canadian soil and connect with this team again, because we obviously have an incredible summer ahead of us,” Zadorsky said to reporters at a training session in Toronto on Wednesday.

“It’s been a journey mentally [and] physically, just with the stress of this past year, and how I carried that I suppose on my shoulders. I think I learned a lot about myself as a player, as a person, and the type of leader I want to be on and off the pitch. I’m in a place where I’m really grateful for what I went through this year, and being able to translate that into ultimately performances on the pitch, because that’s what I’m focusing on right now.”

Zadorsky reiterated that she believes she’s in a better place now, having taken a step back from the game for a few weeks.

“I’ve always worn my heart on my sleeve, and not really been that fearful of saying what’s true to my experience,” she added. “It hasn’t always been perfect, but I think as a professional footballer and as a human, I always want to help humanize players. From the outside, it can always look like a very glamorous role and a very glamorous job and profession, but I think at the end of the day we’re all human beings doing the best we can.

“If I can openly talk about my experience, whether it’s positive or it was negative at times for me, I think that helps me move forward and heal in my own journey, and then come back to what I love to do — being a part of this team is what I love to do, and reaching performances that I know are still in me. I’m in a place of gratitude, and a bit more at peace now.”

Zadorsky spoke about how grateful she was that Tottenham worked closely with her to make sure she got the time off that she needed, and to help her during her recovery process.

“I’m thankful that the club did listen when I needed a break, and I was able to speak to the doctors to say ‘I’m not in a position to play today’, and I was able to heal in a way that I needed to with my club being able to provide things that I needed at the time. I don’t really have regrets for that, because I think I learned at this age it’s not only about performing, it’s about how you can be your best version, and at the time that was me not playing, and I’m okay with that. Earlier I would have played through anything, which I’ve done for many years, but I knew something in me needed a bit of a break, so I’m thankful I was able to do that in England, and now I’m here focused on the World Cup.

“I don’t really find it that difficult to be honest to myself,” Zadorsky added when asked how hard it was to open up about her struggles. “In the moment it can feel very clouded, but I think at the end of the day, being truthful to who you are and what you’ve been through can help you, and help others hopefully. That’s how I embrace it.”

Smiling to be back with @SpursWomen. I love this game. “Always keep going. Always. No matter what happens, the storm eventually ends. And when the storm does end, you want to make sure that you’re ready.” ❤️‍🔥 pic.twitter.com/KpKWeQ7EBe

— Shelina Zadorsky (@Shelina4) April 20, 2023

With 89 international caps to her name and two Olympic medals, one of them gold, Zadorsky is a crucial leader on this national team, so to see her healthy and back in the national team setup is a welcome sight for her teammates.

“Shelina has always been a consistent player for us,” said centre-back partner Kadeisha Buchanan. “I always enjoy partnering with her on the field. She’s a great human, a special, special human.”

Buchanan added that it’s important that Zadorsky, as well as everyone in the squad that dealt with injuries and some time off recently, to get back into the form that they know they’re capable of playing at.

That form, they hope, will see them lift the World Cup on August 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

“I think this World Cup has the potential to really show in vast numbers the capability of women’s football, because the amount of dollars, the amount of TV support, and the hosts Australia and how they’re promoting it as well,” Zadorsky said. “The calibre of football continues to get better, and it really will be on show for everyone to see. That in itself is really exciting, it shows the magnitude of this World Cup.

“[Any team can win] on any given day. Nothing is really guaranteed, you go to Olympics and you go to win it, and you go to World Cups and you go to win it,” she added. “That’s what every top team will be going into the World Cup thinking, because you have to believe if you’re ever going to make anything happen.

“We’re going in believing that, but so are many other teams, so that challenge and how you cope with the day-to-day pressures of performing and winning, will be exciting.”