Canada Soccer marked Canada Day with an important announcement on Monday, revealing the women’s national team roster that will be heading to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to defend their gold medal.

The Olympic Games present a unique challenge compared to the Women’s World Cup or other international matches, with head coach Bev Priestman able to select just 18 players for her squad. Injuries to several key members of the squad made that challenge even more difficult, with Priestman needing to factor in three more weeks for players to recover and get up to full fitness before their first game on July 25.

Thirteen players return from the team that won the gold medal at Tokyo 2020, and six have won multiple Olympic medals, with Janine Beckie, Kadeisha Buchanan, Jessie Fleming, Ashley Lawrence, Nichelle Prince, and Quinn also part of the group that won bronze at Rio 2016. Kailen Sheridan, Vanessa Gilles, Jayde Riviere, Julia Grosso, Jordyn Huitema, Adriana Leon, and Evelyne Viens are the other players in the 18 that won the gold medal three summers ago.

Simi Awujo, Sydney Collins, Cloé Lacasse and Jade Rose are making their Olympic debuts, while Sabrina D’Angelo is making her second appearance after previously representing Canada at Rio 2016.

It was a penalty from Grosso that won Canada their first Olympic gold medal in women’s football as Les Rouges beat Sweden in a dramatic shootout in the final.

“I’m extremely excited to finalise the group of players who will represent Team Canada at Paris 2024,” said Priestman in a press release. “It was a very difficult task, which speaks to the immense talent in this program. However, I believe we have a squad that blends experience and youth, is positionally balanced, and possesses incredible athleticism and football talent.

“With back-to-back games, intense heat, and Tier 1 opposition, it was really important to build a balanced team that could handle these critical factors for the tournament ahead of us. We know the rich history this program has at the Olympic Games. Many moments have inspired the young players in this group, not just in what was achieved but in how they achieved it. Those values and behaviours will continue to be critical factors in this team’s success.”

Jessie Fleming also scored several important penalties in that tournament, including in the semifinal against the United States to book their spot in the gold medal match, as well as a penalty against Sweden to send the game to extra time. Fleming was named Canada’s captain earlier this year, and will lead the team into Paris on and off the pitch.

“It is always an honour to be a part of this team and an even bigger honour to represent the wider Team Canada in Paris,” said captain Jessie Fleming in a press release. “We have grown a lot in the last year as a team and are confident we can repeat the success we have had historically in this tournament.”

Priestman was also tasked with naming four alternates to the squad, who will travel to Paris and train with the team, and can be brough into the 18-player squad in case of an injury. Those four players for Paris 2024 will be goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx, defenders Gabrielle Carle and Shelina Zadorsky, and forward Deanne Rose.

Carle, Zadorsky, and Rose were part of the gold medal-winning group from Tokyo 2020, while Proulx has consistently been Canada’s third goalkeeper for the past few years but is yet to make her senior national team debut. This is the third Olympics in a row that Carle has been an alternate player for Canada, but she was ultimately part of the team in Tokyo after rosters were expanded to 22 players for that tournament.

Both Zadorsky and Rose were 2016 bronze medallists as well, with Rose scoring the opening goal in the medal-winning match against the hosts Brazil.

At Paris 2024, Canada will play New Zealand in Saint-Étienne on July 25, the hosts France in Saint-Étienne on July 28, and Colombia in Nice on July 31. The quarter-finals and semifinals take place on August 3 and August 6, respectively, before the bronze medal match on August 9 and gold medal match on August 10.

Below is Canada’s full squad.