Kitchener native Shelina Zadorsky is getting ready to take the field for Team Canada at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The 30-year-old centre-back, who grew up playing soccer in Kitchener and London, is a two-time Olympic medallist.
In 2021 she helped deliver Canadian soccer’s best-ever Olympic result, taking home gold in Tokyo.
Canada defender Shelina Zadorsky ( 4) controls the ball in front of Japan midfielder Yui Hasegawa (14) during the first half in a SheBelieves Cup soccer match Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Talking to CTV Kitchener a week after the victory, Zadorsky said one of the best parts was seeing it inspire the next generation of athletes.
“For me especially, looking at young girls who want to play football as a career, I think I want to tell them ‘do it and go for it and surround yourself with the best players and coaches and players that you can because it’s truly possible,'” Zadorsky said in 2021.
Shelina Zadorsky, centre left, and Deanne Rose, left, share a joke while Marie-Yasmine Alidou, centre right, and Kadeisha Buchanan, right, walk past as members of Canada Women’s Soccer Squad train in Toronto, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, before their departure to the Women’s World Cup.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
The FIFA Women’s World Cup starts Thursday.
Canada’s opening game is against Nigeria. Kickoff is at 10:30 p.m. EST.
Canada’s Julia Grosso (7) is congratulated by Shelina Zadorsky after scoring her side’s opening goal against Panama during a CONCACAF Women’s Championship soccer match in Monterrey, Mexico, Friday, July 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
