Christine Sinclair thought sheB次元官网网址檇 quietly retire from the Canadian national team after helping the squad qualify for next summerB次元官网网址檚 Paris Olympics.

Clearly that wasnB次元官网网址檛 happening for international soccerB次元官网网址檚 all-time leading scorer.

B次元官网网址淚 wanted to be part of the group to help the team qualify for Paris, for the team, but for me personally it was important,B次元官网网址� Sinclair said. B次元官网网址淚 thought that was going to be it and I was going to walk off and not say a word.B次元官网网址�

But the unassuming 40-year-old forward changed her mind when she heard Canada would host additional games this year.

B次元官网网址淢y friends and family convinced me: `You canB次元官网网址檛 just leave. You owe it to Canada to come out and play these games,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said.

Sinclair spoke Thursday as she prepared to play in the first two of four exhibition matches. Canada hosts Brazil on Saturday in Montreal and Tuesday in Halifax.

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The team will get two more friendlies this year, both against Australia, in SinclairB次元官网网址檚 native British Columbia. The first will be played in Langford on Dec. 1 before her formal send-off match at BC Place on Dec. 5.

Late last month, she was on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 roster for a two-legged CONCACAF Olympic qualifier against Jamaica. Canada claimed its spot in France 4B次元官网网址�1 on aggregate over the Reggae Girlz.

Canada is the Olympic tournamentB次元官网网址檚 defending champion after winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Games. In addition to the gold, Sinclair retires with bronze medals from the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

However, Canada was coming off a disappointing finish this summer at the WomenB次元官网网址檚 World Cup, where the team failed to advance out of the group stage.

B次元官网网址淎fter Tokyo, just the way we went out and won the thing, I knew I didnB次元官网网址檛 want to play in Paris. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no better way to go out,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淏ut I did want to give the World Cup one more shot. I thought this team had a unique opportunity to prove to the world that Tokyo wasnB次元官网网址檛 a fluke, and obviously we havenB次元官网网址檛 had the most success in the World Cup.

B次元官网网址淚 knew I could play, I was ready to play and give it one more shot. And then with the way the World Cup went, I didnB次元官网网址檛 want that to be it.B次元官网网址�

Sinclair has scored 190 international goals, most among both men and women, since she made her national team debut in 2000. She has played in 327 matches for Canada. Cristiano Ronaldo, the top scorer among the men, has 127 goals.

Sinclair is also among just five players to appear in six WomenB次元官网网址檚 World Cups, and one of just three players to score in five. But a World Cup trophy has eluded her.

Sinclair announced last week on social media that she would finish out the year with Canada before hanging up her cleats B次元官网网址� even posting a picture of her cleats draped over a goalpost and swaying in the breeze.

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The next day, she posted a poignant letter to her younger self that confirmed the cryptic message, but she had not spoken publicly about her retirement until Thursday.

SinclairB次元官网网址檚 playing career isnB次元官网网址檛 totally over. SheB次元官网网址檚 hoping for one more season with her club team, the Portland Thorns in the National WomenB次元官网网址檚 Soccer League. The Thorns have a playoff game on Nov. 5 against Gotham FC. Win that, and the Thorns will vie for a fourth NWSL championship on Nov. 11.

For that reason, Sinclair hasnB次元官网网址檛 yet pondered her legacy in womenB次元官网网址檚 soccer.

B次元官网网址淚 think when IB次元官网网址檓 actually done playing, IB次元官网网址檒l look back on that,B次元官网网址� Sinclair said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just proud to have been part of the growth of womenB次元官网网址檚 football around the world, and obviously here in Canada.B次元官网网址�

Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press

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