Top 10 Canadian Soccer Players of All time

Canada has been producing some of the best soccer players in the world for decades. These talented athletes have made a lasting impression on the sport and left their mark on Canadian soccer history. From legendary strikers to skilled defenders, here is our list of the top 10 Canadian soccer players of all time. From household names to lesser-known stars, all these players have contributed to Canada’s unique soccer culture and proven that great talent comes from everywhere. Read on to learn more about these incredible athletes and why they deserve a place among the greatest Canadian soccer players ever.

Dwayne De Rosario

Dwayne De Rosario is one of the most decorated players in Canadian soccer history. He is a four-time Canadian Player of the Year, and was named Major League Soccer MVP in 2011. He has also represented Canada at the international level, most notably at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

De Rosario began his professional career with the Toronto Lynx in 1997. He would go on to have stints with several clubs in North America, including the San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, and New York Red Bulls. In 2011, he returned to his hometown of Toronto to play for Toronto FC. He helped lead Toronto FC to their first ever playoff appearance that season, and was named MLS MVP.

De Rosario has continued to be a prominent figure in Canadian soccer, even after his retirement from professional play in 2015. He currently serves as an academy coach for Toronto FC, and is also a member of the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.

Christine Sinclair

Christine Sinclair is a Canadian soccer player who plays for the Portland Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Canada national team. She is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, a three-time CONCACAF champion, and a fourteen-time winner of the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award.

Sinclair began her international career with the Canada U-19 team at the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship. She made her senior debut for Canada in 2000, and represented the country at four FIFA Women’s World Cups (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015). With 281 international caps, Sinclair is Canada’s most capped player and second all-time in women’s soccer, behind only American Abby Wambach. She has scored 176 goals for Canada, more than any other player in history.

At the club level, Sinclair has played for teams in Canada, Sweden, USA and now France. She spent seven seasons with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of the now-defunct USL W-League (1997–2003), winning four league championships. In 2004 she moved to Sweden to play for Djurgårdens IF Dam of Damallsvenskan and won that league title in her only season with the club. After one season in Sweden, she returned to North America to play for FC Gold Pride of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) (2010), before joining Portland Thorns FC in 2013.

Kara Lang

Kara Lang is a retired Canadian soccer player. She was a member of the Canadian national team from 2003 to 2011, and played in three FIFA World Cups. She also played for several professional clubs in the United States and Germany.

Lang began her international career at the age of 16, and quickly established herself as a key player for Canada. She played an important role in helping Canada qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics, and scored a memorable goal against China in the quarter-finals. She went on to score 27 goals in 81 appearances for her country.

At club level, Lang had stints with the Chicago Red Stars, Washington Freedom, FC Bayern Munich and Sky Blue FC. She announced her retirement from professional soccer in 2013, at the age of 28.

Ceri Evans

Ceri Evans is one of the top Canadian soccer players of all time. She was a member of the Canadian National Team from 2001 to 2006, and played in the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She also played for the University of Toronto from 2002 to 2006.

Evans was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and began her soccer career with the local club team, Burnaby Girls Soccer Club. She played for the BC provincial team from 1998 to 2000, before being called up to the Canadian National Team in 2001.

With the national team, Evans won a bronze medal at the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and represented Canada at the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She scored one goal at the tournament, in a group stage match against Denmark.

After retiring from international soccer in 2006, Evans continued her career with the University of Toronto, where she helped lead the team to four consecutive Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships. She was named an OUA All-Star in 2005 and 2006, and was named UofT Athlete of the Year in 2006.

Evans retired from soccer in 2007, after suffering a serious knee injury. She currently works as a physiotherapist in Vancouver.

Bruno Zebie

Bruno Zebie is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for FC Edmonton in the Canadian Premier League.

Born in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Zebie began his youth career with local club Strathcona Community League before joining the Edmonton academy system. He spent time with both FC Edmonton and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy before signing his first professional contract with FC Edmonton in 2015.

Zebie made his professional debut for FC Edmonton in 2016 and has since made over 50 appearances for the club. He has also represented Canada at the U-17 and U-20 level.

A versatile player, Zebie is capable of playing both as a central midfielder and as a fullback. He is known for his strong work ethic and tireless running on the pitch.

An exciting young player with plenty of potential, Zebie is one of the best Canadian soccer players currently plying his trade in the Canadian Premier League.

Atiba Hutchinson

Atiba Hutchinson is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Beşiktaş and the Canada national team. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest Canadian soccer players of all time.

Hutchinson began his professional career with Toronto Lynx in 2000. He played for several years in the lower divisions of Canadian soccer before signing with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in 2005. He spent four seasons with PSV, winning the Eredivisie title in 2007-08.

In 2009, Hutchinson returned to Canada to sign with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer. He spent two seasons with Toronto before moving to Turkey to join Beşiktaş in 2011. He has been a key member of the Beşiktaş team ever since, helping them to win three consecutive Turkish Süper Lig titles (2013-15).

Hutchinson has also been an important player for the Canada national team, making over 80 appearances since 2003. He was part of the Canadian team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and he represented Canada at both the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

Jessie Fleming

Jessie Fleming is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays for the England Women’s National Team and Chelsea FC in the FA WSL. She has also represented Canada at the U-20 and senior levels.

A native of London, Ontario, Jessie Fleming began her soccer career with the local club team, Arsenal Gunners. She later played for the provincial team, Ontario Provincial Team, before joining the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX program in 2012. In 2013, she was signed by Chelsea FC to their academy.

Fleming made her debut for the England women’s national team in February 2014, coming on as a substitute against Italy. She scored her first international goal against Sweden in April 2015. In June 2019, she was named to England’s squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Ashley Lawrence

Ashley Lawrence is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League. She has also represented Canada at the senior international level.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Lawrence began her youth career with the Foothills WFC before moving to Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls’ Elite REX program in 2009. In 2012, she made her debut for the Whitecaps FC women’s team in the United Soccer Leagues W-League. After one season with the Whitecaps, Lawrence moved to France to join Olympique Lyonnais Feminine of Division 1 Féminine.

In 2015, Lawrence made her return to North America when she was drafted third overall by Sky Blue FC in the National Women’s Soccer League College Draft. However, she only played one game for Sky Blue before being traded to the Western New York Flash. With the Flash, Lawrence won the NWSL Championship in 2016. The following year, she was traded to Orlando Pride.

At the international level, Lawrence made her debut for Canada’s senior team at the 2013 Cyprus Cup. Since then, she has been a regular starter for Canada and has represented her country at two FIFA Women’s World Cups (2015 and 2019) and one Olympic Games (2016).

Janine Beckie

Janine Beckie is a Canadian soccer player who has been with the national team since 2015. She made her first appearance for Canada at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She scored two goals in the tournament, including one against China in the Round of 16.

Beckie started her collegiate career at Texas Tech University before transferring to the University of Colorado. In her two seasons with the Buffaloes, she scored 21 goals and led the team to the NCAA Tournament both years. She was named the Pac-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2016.

Beckie was drafted by Sky Blue FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. She scored 10 goals in her rookie season, helping Sky Blue FC reach the NWSL Playoffs.

Diana Matheson

Diana Matheson is a Canadian soccer player who has been widely recognized as one of the top players in the world. She has played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Manchester United and Arsenal, and has also represented her country at the highest level.

Matheson began her career with Vancouver Whitecaps FC before moving to Europe to play for Chelsea Ladies. She then spent time with both Manchester United and Arsenal before returning to Canada to join Ottawa Fury FC.

Matheson has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including being named the Canadian Player of the Year on three occasions. She was also a member of the Canadian team that won bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.