Hidden gems: How 3 Canadian players took non-traditional roads to Women's World Cup

14.07.2023 - 12:41 cbc.ca

Canadian national soccer team forward Cloé Lacasse's words said it all. After making the 23-player roster for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup roster in Australia and New Zealand, the 30-year-old native of Sudbury, Ont., summed up the moment as a player who had been often overlooked for most of her career. "Hard work.

Determination. Resilience. My family and friends' relentless support throughout the years. It's all paid off for this moment," wrote Lacasse on her social media channels after being named to the Canadian team, which kicks off its tournament with a match against Nigeria on Thursday, July 20.

While Lacasse has enjoyed a rewarding professional career playing abroad (the reigning Portuguese league's player of the year with Benfica recently signed with Arsenal of the Women's Super League), she is one of many Canadian examples of players getting their national team opportunity later in their career.

Aside from an under-20 camp back in 2012 when she was 19, Lacasse didn't get a call back into the national system again until she was 27.

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