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Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair hopes people still see her as the same kid from Burnaby, B.C., playing soccer in the backyard with her family. Nearly 40 years ago, her mother, Sandra Sinclair, became her first soccer coach and played a vital role throughout her life and career.
Sandra watched her daughter make her debut with Canada’s senior women’s national team at just 16. Over the years, she witnessed Christine win Olympic medals—a bronze in 2012, another bronze in 2016, and a thrilling gold in 2021 after a penalty shootout victory over Sweden in Tokyo. Christine was also honored with the 2012 Northern Star Award as Canada’s top athlete and was named Canada Soccer’s player of the year 14 times.
Before retiring from international play in 2023, Sinclair scored 190 goals in 331 appearances, holding the record for most international goals scored by any man or woman.
Sinclair has often credited her mother for teaching her not just the sport, but the important things in life. Sandra fought a 40-year battle with multiple sclerosis, keeping her diagnosis private for 12 years to protect Christine and her brother Mike.
After leading Canada to Olympic gold, Christine wrote her memoir, Playing the Long Game, inspired by her mother. The book was released shortly after Sandra passed in February 2022.
Sandra Sinclair now features prominently in a new short animated film about Christine’s life, Christine Sinclair: Kind of a Big Deal. The seven-minute documentary launched recently and tells her story through a blend of animation and family moments.
Sinclair said she loves how the film captures the evolution of the women’s national team while also highlighting her family’s significance in her journey. Reflecting on a tender scene in the film where a young Christine calls to her mother, Sinclair became emotional, saying, “You’re going to make me cry.”
The film was created with award-winning Irish writer and director of animation Eoin Duffy. Sinclair described the process as “fun, like therapy,” and said it captures a lot in a unique way despite its brief runtime.
Sinclair grew up in a soccer family, with her mom serving as president of the South Burnaby Metro Club, where Christine started playing at age four. Her dad, Bill, played in the Pacific Coast Soccer League, and her brother Mike was also an athlete.
Narrated by Vancouver-born actor Ryan Reynolds, the documentary marks a creative way for Sinclair to tell her story and reach new audiences. She admitted the project was outside her comfort zone since she tends to avoid the spotlight, preferring to focus on the work.
Prior to this, Sinclair appeared in The Pitch, a documentary about Olympic gold medallist Diana Matheson launching Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league, the Northern Super League (NSL). In October 2024, Christine became co-owner of the NSL’s Vancouver Rise FC.
Sinclair represented Canada on national teams for 23 years and played 11 seasons with the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League, scoring in her retirement match in November 2024, which helped the team secure a playoff spot. During her time with the Thorns, she won the NWSL championships in 2013, 2017, and 2022.
She is one of only five players to have appeared in six Women’s World Cups and among three players to score in five tournaments.
When asked what she hopes people take from her achievements, Sinclair said, “Anything’s possible, and it shouldn’t change who you are. I hope people still see me as the same kid from Burnaby playing in the backyard with my brother and parents. Stay humble, put the work in when no one’s watching and anything’s possible.”