Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair isnB次元官网网址檛 looking backwards.

While a celebration is set to be held Friday for a record-setting goal she scored more than two years ago, Sinclair isnB次元官网网址檛 focused on the recognition.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e forgetting about that one,B次元官网网址� she said with a grin.

B次元官网网址淚t happened so long ago that personally and as a team, weB次元官网网址檝e moved on and weB次元官网网址檝e achieved so much. It will be great to celebrate it with my friends and family, but so much bigger things have happened since then, important things. So IB次元官网网址檓 focusing on that right now.B次元官网网址�

Sinclair set a new world record in January 2020 when she scored her 185th goal on the international stage. SheB次元官网网址檚 since added three more B次元官网网址� and an Olympic championship.

Now the Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 soccer team is set to celebrate the gold medal they captured in Tokyo last summer with a pair of friendlies. The games will see Canada, ranked sixth in the world, host No. 39 Nigeria in Vancouver on Friday and Langford, B.C., on Monday.

While Canada has medals at three consecutive Olympics (two bronze, one gold), the womenB次元官网网址檚 team is still somewhat underestimated on the international stage, Sinclair said.

B次元官网网址淚 see some of my teammates here missing awards and things that they should have won. ItB次元官网网址檚 sad,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淏ut none of us play this sport for the individual awards. ItB次元官网网址檚 the team awards, the gold medals, things like that. WeB次元官网网址檝e got those in our back pocket now. So weB次元官网网址檙e just out there to prove everyone wrong and show day in and day out what weB次元官网网址檙e all about and get better.B次元官网网址�

This week marks SinclairB次元官网网址檚 return to the national squad after she missed a tournament in England in February following the death of her mother.

B次元官网网址淐hristine just brings that aura of calmness to the group. Fantastic to have her back,B次元官网网址� said head coach Bev Priestman. B次元官网网址淎nd to be here in B.C. feels really special with her family, friends and the fans.B次元官网网址�

The dynamic forward had already made 308 appearances for Canada, including 302 starts, and tallied 188 goals and 53 assists in international play.

SheB次元官网网址檚 also helping the next generation of stars develop.

Jordyn Huitema remembers joining the national team as a young player, nervous to be on the same field as the veterans.

B次元官网网址淚 came in mostly as a sponge,B次元官网网址� said the 20-year-old forward for Paris-Saint Germain. B次元官网网址淎nd I started talking to (Sinclair) a lot and learning from her and that made our bond grow closer and closer as the years went on. I definitely think weB次元官网网址檙e a lot closer now.B次元官网网址�

Hailing from the suburb of Burnaby, B.C., Sinclair expects to have 50 or 60 friends and family members take in the game at VancouverB次元官网网址檚 B.C. Place, including her young nieces.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 always special to play in front of those who mean the most to you,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淥bviously with the way the Olympics happened, they werenB次元官网网址檛 able to be there in person and with the pandemic I havenB次元官网网址檛 been able to see them a ton. So itB次元官网网址檒l be special.B次元官网网址�

In addition to marking SinclairB次元官网网址檚 scoring milestone, FridayB次元官网网址檚 game will act as a farewell to Canadian goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe, who announced her retirement in January.

Asked if she, too, could be playing her last national team match in front of a home crowd, the 38-year-old Sinclair responded with an emphatic B次元官网网址淣o.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f Steph gets a retirement game here, then I definitely get a retirement game here,B次元官网网址� she said with a laugh.

B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press