PORTLAND Oregon (KPTV) – Christine Sinclair will play her final home game as a member of the Portland Thorns Friday at Providence Park.

Beloved by her teammates and her adopted city, Sinclair caps a monumental 25 professional seasons. And after playing 12 of those professional seasons in Portland, three crowns and a Hall of Fame career, Sinclair will always be the GOAT here.

“This sport has been my life since I was 4 years old,” Sinclair said. “Obviously this team is great, and that will be the hardest part leaving.”

The taller 41-year-old Thorn captains the seventh-ranked club into Friday night’s National Women’s Soccer League regular-season finale where a win or draw at home against Angel City will push Portland back into the playoffs for its 200th. match and possibly last in a Thorns kit.

“To be able to give it my all last year in Portland, but it slowly crept in,” Sinclair said. “I still have the passion, I still love the sport, I still want to win, but yes, it’s time.”

SEE ALSO:

The international goal-scoring queen is a three-time Olympic medalist with Team Canada, winning gold in Tokyo and setting the standard for what a superstar from Burnaby, B.C., and kids here can be Soccer City, USA.

“The Thorns showed the world what was possible when women’s sports were invested in and now looking around the NWSL, the WNBA, professional hockey now, it’s amazing to see the growth and I’d like to think that Portland had a little start,” Sinclair said.

Beyond Sinclair’s 12 professional years in Portland, she will forever be remembered as leading the Pilots to two NCAA national titles while being a consensus All-American and being named to two times best player of the year on the bluff of the UP for another. another Portland football icon, Clive Charles.

“My blood is Canadian, but since I went to university here, I remember Clive saying that students come here and never leave. Yes, that’s me,” Sinclair said. “Since day one, Portland has been my home, and it will always be one of two home ports for me.”

Friday’s game could be the end or the beginning of another deep playoff run. Tickets are still available to send Sinclair off in style.

“Obviously we love to compete and play and try to win, but being able to give back, being able to spend that 30 seconds, a minute – whatever it is – with the next generation is so important,” Sinclair said. “I experienced those moments when I was little, literally sitting in that stadium and watching a World Cup match and it changed my life, so to be able to give back obviously, I have two young nieces who dream of playing a day for Portland, playing for Canada, that’s why we do what we do.

Copyright 2024 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.