Image credit: ClutchPoints

Portland Thorns make huge Christine Sinclair decision for 2024 season

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Erin Achenbach | Last updated 1/23/24

In a significant move for the Portland Thorns, the team has confirmed the signing of Christine Sinclair, the world’s leading international goal scorer between both men and women, for the 2024 season. The decision marks a pivotal moment for both Sinclair and the Thorns, as Sinclair, at 40, commits to one more season with the club she has been part of since the NWSL’s inception in 2013.

“Are you ready for one more year, Portland?” Sinclair announced on Instagram, posing with the NWSL trophies she won with the Thorns in 2013, 2017 and 2022.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Portland Thorns FC (@thornsfc)

Her contribution to the Thorns is eye-popping, holding the record for the most goals scored by any player in the team’s history. With 62 goals in 176 appearances over 11 seasons, Sinclair’s impact on the field is undeniable. Notably, she scored the Thorns’ first-ever goal in a match against FC Kansas City in April 2013.

“Sinc has been with this club from the beginning, she is the foundation with which Portland Thorns is built on, and as much as she is a part of the DNA of the Thorns, the Thorns are part of her DNA,” Portland general manager Karina LeBlanc said in a statement, per the Associated PRess.

Sinclair recently retired from a remarkable 23-year international career with Canada, following a victory against Australia in Vancouver last December. Her international career, highlighted by 190 goals, outshines even Cristiano Ronaldo’s record among men. Sinclair’s journey with the Canadian team includes a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and bronze medals in the 2012 and 2016 Games. Her World Cup appearances are also notable, featuring in six Women’s World Cups and scoring in five of them.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: