Canada’s Christine Sinclair has passed USA’s Abby Wambach as the soccer player with the most international goals in the history of the sport. Sinclair now has 185 goals in 290 appearances.
Sinclair scored twice in the first half against Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship on Wednesday in Edinburg, Texas, equaling and then passing Wambach’s record.
She's done it!
You're now looking at football's top international goalscorer of ALL TIME.Give it up for @CanadaSoccerEN legend, @sincy12. pic.twitter.com/pu8Z3gwzlK
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) January 29, 2020
Abby Wambach scored 184 goals in 256 appearances for the USWNT, passing Mia Hamm’s mark of 158 for the most international goals record in the summer of 2013. (The men’s record for most international goals is held by Iran’s Ali Daei with 109.)
Less than seven years later, Sinclair has surpassed that mark, with Wambach sending a classy message of congratulations.
Wonderful stuff from a player who battled it out with Sinclair many times on the pitch. Hamm also added her congratulations.
Simply amazing! Congratulations, Christine on becoming the All-Time International goals leader. You continue to carry yourself and the game to new heights. Thank you. https://t.co/7eTwVAoZGB
— Mia Hamm (@MiaHamm) January 29, 2020
The Canadian talisman entered Olympic qualifying with 183 goals. It took her less than seven minutes to reach 184, converting a penalty kick early on against an overmatched Saint Kitts and Nevis.
There it is! Christine Sinclair scores her 184th international goal to tie Abby Wambach’s record! One more goal to go! @CanadaSoccerEN leads Saint Kitts and Nevis in Edinburg#CWOQ #WeBelong #Sinclair185 #ChasingHistory pic.twitter.com/62WXN9pFNx
— Concacaf (@Concacaf) January 29, 2020
Sinclair broke the record in the 23rd minute. Floating into the box unmarked, The Portland Thorns striker had enough time and composure to take a touch before slotting home the fourth goal of the match.
Goal @CanadaSoccerEN ! 185 career goals by @sincy12! History is being made here in #CWOQ | #WeBelong pic.twitter.com/onEdighIKT
— Concacaf (@Concacaf) January 29, 2020
A celebration!
We riot if Kadeisha Buchanan isn't nominated for an Oscar. pic.twitter.com/2ZdmogLIiq— Our Game Magazine (@OurGameMagazine) January 29, 2020
“Congratulations to Christine for this incredible achievement; it is an amazing feat and she deserves all the credit and accolades she will rightly receive,” Concacaf President Victor Montagliani said. “To play elite international football for 20 years at the very top level — in multiple World Cups, Olympic Games and Concacaf Women’s Championships — is remarkable in itself. To have scored an all-time international record goal haul, and to still be going strong, is truly outstanding. Christine’s achievements have made her an icon in Canada. She transcends the sport and is a wonderful role model for people across the country. I hope she continues leading the line for the national team and scoring goals, and I thank her for the enormous contribution she has made to the sport in Canada, the Concacaf region and across the world.”
“Those crazy dreams you have as a kid… Sometimes they come true.”
Christine Sinclair makes history by scoring her 185th international goal in Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying, making her the new all-time record holder #Sinclair185 #WeBelong @CanadaSoccerEN pic.twitter.com/tkfYB5LqjM— Concacaf (@Concacaf) January 29, 2020
All-time International goalscoring record holder. #Sincy185 #CanWNT pic.twitter.com/GpBSI5cSQH
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) January 29, 2020
She did it! Christine Sinclair is now international soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer. Congratulations, @sincy12 – you rock! #Sincy185 https://t.co/s7wveuocIf
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 30, 2020
Canada led 7-0 at halftime, with Jayde Riviere (not Sophie Schmidt) scoring the pick of the bunch with this long-range rocket.
41': What a goal! Sophie Schmidt smashes a long distance goal to increase the lead to 6-0! | @CanadaSoccerEN #CWOQ #WeBelong pic.twitter.com/oSt8dbA6hf
— Concacaf (@Concacaf) January 29, 2020
The match ended 11-0, giving Canada a big boost in goal difference in Olympic qualifying. The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals, with the two semifinal winners clinching a berth to the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
Admittedly, Saint Kitts and Nevis isn’t the strongest competition, but no one’s taking Alex Morgan’s goals against Thailand in the Women’s World Cup away from her.
Congrats @sincy12, all time international scoring leading, male or female!!!! 185 goals are you freaking kidding me!!! https://t.co/oVri6cjrKZ
— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) January 29, 2020