Canada’s women’s national team will head to Portugal with 23 players for its final tournament ahead of June’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
At the 2019 Algarve Cup, Canada will face Iceland on Feb. 27, followed by Scotland before concluding the three-match competition with a final match to determine placing.
“We are bringing in a full squad of 23 players to take advantage of the multiple training sessions in addition to the three games of this tournament,” said coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller. “We are definitely using this as an opportunity to assess players for this summer’s squad, and to look at how partnerships are solidifying within the matches, not only for those who will form the core of our squad, but also as the finishers who will have a critical role stepping on to the pitch to make a difference in big games – ensuring we have the players that can bring that extra something that you need in a game to have an impact at a FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
Heiner-Møller continued the strategy of bringing together a squad that balances experience with youth for the Algarve Cup.
With an average age of 25.5 years old, Canada’s side features five players with more than 100 international appearances for Canada, two of whom have over 200. Anchored by captain Christine Sinclair with 275 appearances, Canada will benefit from the return of veteran Diana Matheson (201 appearances), who is returning healthy from a foot injury that sidelined the midfielder since the end of the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Qualifier last October. Veteran goalkeeper Erin McLeod also returns to the squad after recovering from a foot injury last year.
“The return of Matheson and McLeod is great for the team both on and off the pitch,” Heiner-Møller said after announcing his selections. “Both veterans are important people within our team, and important players with tremendous experience on the international stage, so their return at this point is excellent news for the squad.”
ROSTER
#1 GK Stephanie Labbe, age 32, from Stony Plain, AB
#2 FB Allysha Chapman, age 30, from Courtice, ON/ Houston Dash
#3 CB Kadeisha Buchanan, age 23, from Brampton, ON/ Olympique Lyonnais
#4 CB Shelina Zadorsky, age 26, from London, ON/ Orlando Pride
#5 M Rebecca Quinn, age 23, from Toronto, ON/ Paris FC
#6 F Deanne Rose, age 19, from Alliston, ON/ University of Florida Gators
#7 M Julia Grosso, age 18, from Vancouver, BC / The University of Texas at Austin
#8 M Diana Matheson, age 34, from Oakville, ON/Utah Royals FC
#9 F Jordyn Huitema, age 17, from Chilliwack, BC / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite
#10 FB Ashley Lawrence, age 23, from Caledon, ON/Paris Saint Germain
#11 M Desiree Scott, age 31, from Winnipeg, MB/ Utah Royals FC
#12 F Christine Sinclair ( C ), age 35, from Burnaby, BC/ Portland Thorns
#13 M Sophie Schmidt, age 30, from Abbotsford, BC
#14 M Gabrielle Carle, age 20, from Lévis, QC/Florida State University
#15 F Nichelle Prince, age 23, from Ajax, ON/ Houston Dash
#16 F Janine Beckie, age 24, from Highlands Ranch, CO/ Manchester City
#17 M Jessie Fleming, age 20, from London, ON/UCLA
#18 GK Erin McLeod, age 35, from St. Albert, AB/ Växjö DFF
#19 F Adriana Leon, age 26, from King City, ON/West Ham United
#20 CB Shannon Woeller, age 29, from Vancouver, BC/ Eskilstuna United DFF
#21 GK Kailen Sheridan, age 23, from Whitby, ON/ Sky Blue FC
#22 FB Lindsay Agnew, age 23, from Kingston, ON/ Houston Dash
#24 FB/F Jenna Hellstrom, age 23, from Sudbury, ON/ Växjö DFF