Riviere on the rise for Canada

Follow| Archive

When asked to describe Jayde Riviere and her play during the CONCACAF W Championship, Canadian head coach Bev Priestman zeroed in on one phrase.

Game changer.

“It's scary where Jayde’s potential is,” Priestman said. “She's so young, hasn't gone pro yet, and this is what she's putting out.”

The 21-year-old right back has featured in all four of Canada’s games at the CONCACAF W Championship in Monterrey, Mexico, including Thursday’s semifinal win against Jamaica. She has earned three starts and has been a steadying presence on the backline, while also providing a spark in the attack with her ability to fly up the flanks and send crosses.

“When she's come into a game, or whether she started the game, she's been critical in our attacks,” Priestman told TSN. “That right-hand side has looked very dynamic because of that.”

Priestman points to several of Riviere’s attributes, such as her acceleration and mental resilience, as reasons for her recent growth.

“I think she's got fitter,” she said. “She's defending more, attacking. It's exciting where she can be.”

Riviere has quietly become a regular for Priestman, who also coached the native of Pickering, Ont. at the Canadian youth levels. This year, Riviere has started in eight of Canada’s 10 games, not featuring in just one match (a friendly against Nigeria in Victoria). Overall, she has started in 13 of her 20 appearances since Priestman became head coach at the end of 2020.

What’s even more impressive: Riviere transitioned to fullback when she was 16, after playing as a winger for years.

“I'm still growing. I'm still learning,” Riviere told TSN. “I'm pretty proud of my performances so far. I think I'm learning to get the fullback role, attacking, and defending,