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NOVEMBER 1, 2024 – PORTLAND, OR: Christine Sinclair scores in the last game of the 2024 NWSL regular season between Angel City and the PortlandThorns at Providence Park (photo by Diego G Diaz)
The Portland Thorns played their last game of the 2024 NWSL Regular Season at their stronghold Providence Park. The date had been set to be Sinclair’s farewell game, but also, it was a critical game where the Thorns needed a good result to move on to the playoffs. Portland got it done 3-0 in an electric first half, with the Canadian superstar opening the score in 16th minute, followed by Sophia Smith (26th) and Morgan Weaver (45+4’). The win opened the route to at least one more professional game for Sinclair in the Thorns kit for the 2024 NWSL Playoffs.
It couldn’t have been a more perfect night for all things Portland. The fine traditional myst of an incessant November rain, the glow of lights through the rain drops, that fall humidity that holds the temperature from being too cold, and a Providence Park filled to the brim to watch football, or soccer as some say, after all, this town’s claims the title to be Soccer City, USA.
The stage tonight is this evolved modern version of the original Multnomah Civic Stadium built in 1926, that has hosted college football, cricket, greyhound racing, and the Portland Beavers baseball team when they moved from the historic Vaughn Street Park after it was condemned.
Thorns Tifo to thank Sinclair for her career
Civic Stadium, PGE Park, Jeld-Wen Field, and now Providence Park, is now a cathedral for football (soccer) and one of the most iconic stadiums for both NWSL and MLS leagues. It started to host the Portland Timbers in 1975 in the league known as NASL (North American Soccer League), and in August 1977 saw Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé, play in an away match with his New York Cosmos team.
Providence Park is still held by some of the original old parts, the ones known to hold ghosts, a soul, the kind of mysticism that modern turn key TV ready builds haven’t earn just yet. A stadium that that rivals both love and dread to visit, and one of the best experiences this sport has to offer in this corner of the football woods.
The Portland Thorns and their male cohosts Timbers FC have become some of the most Portland things to do around town. Thorns dominant position as a club in NWSL, the role of eternal underdogs that women sports seem to not be able to shake, and the success of USA women’s soccer around the world has given The Thorns a special place as rebel flagship against all things oppression: gender, LGBTQ, trans, BIPOC, refugees, all values that are widely shared with the MLS counter parts as well.
Christine Margaret Sinclair, natural of Burnaby, British Columbia, grew up in a family of football players, her father Bill and her uncle Bruce were Canadian Amateur Champions. She tried her hand playing basketball and baseball as a youth, and it was while playing as a second baseman, when she chose her iconic jersey number, 12, in honor of Blue Jays Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar. She choose football, and kept the jersey number.
Sinclair rose through the academy of her local team Burnaby South Secondary School, and knows what is to win championships since the age of 11. Moved to Portland Oregon to study, play, at the University of Portland were she was three times player of the year, Herman Trophy winner, still in college, her individual accolades, are too many to list. She also started her international carrer with Canada’s national team lead her to the 2003 Women’s World Cup.
Her early professional club days started in Canada at the Vancouver Angels, then renamed Vancouver Breakers, and now the women’s section of the Vancouver Whitecaps at the USL W-League. Moved south to the US for the then Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), playing with FC Gold Pride and Western NY Flash, till the league folded in 2012.
NWSL took over the women’s soccer game, in the first inaugural season in 2013, she moved back to the Rose City to the Portland Thorns and “vini, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered), The Thorns won it the first year. She stayed at the club till she announced in September her retirement at the end of this 2024 NWSL season.
This 2024 season however, hasn’t been one of the best shows for Portland. The Thorns had to wait to sort their pass to the playoffs in the last possible game after suffering some of the worst strings of bad results in its history. There were questions about the NWSL’s capacity to reasonably schedule games, the Portland Thorns had to field players just liberated from international duty days before. However, none of it mattered. Friday’s home season end game was going to be perfect, and it was.
Christine Sinclair was to be celebrated for one of the most successful careers in football. There were plaques, and photo ops, speeches and a lot of emotion. But also there were three big points to earn, and the the Canadian International star, went supernova. She had a great game leading Portland to a victory and to clinch a slot in the postseason.
The players and the fans, together, they summoned all the spirits in the old temple, a sensation that had been missing during a big part of the year, and came out in a dominant first half performance. All the things that make this club special manifested greatly. The ambiance, the attacking style, speed and skill, with an added a sense of defense security that has been scarce.
Hina Sugita (photo by Diego G Diaz)
In front of Portland, there was an Angel City sitting third from the bottom of the table with absolutely nothing to play for but to fill their obligations as professional athletes to wrap a forgettable season. They put a fight to a point, Portland’s motivations however, made a whole difference, one was playing in play offs mode, the other played with their agents on hold.
The party was set for the locals’ celebration, and it was over after third goal by Weaver right before half time. Weaver completed a header after a masterful assists by Hina Sugita, who was back from injury and played an outstanding game on the midfield. The Japanese international has had her best season yet, her near month old absence from the fields after a nasty face injury, didn’t stop her from getting awarded player of the season by the fans.
Coach Rob Gales gave Sinclair the honor sub in the 84th minute to get the full roar of the crowd. The 84th minute was a deliberate choice, it symbolizes the 84 career goals she has scored for the Thorns. Who she subbed out for was also of great significance, Megan Klingenberg, turns out, is also retiring after the end of this season. Both players fused in an emotional embrace. “Kling”, as she is known by devoted fans and friends, had avoided all the big spotlight announcements, flashy press conferences in true humbling spirit, and was playing potentially her last minutes.
Klingenberg had her start playing with the Tar Heels, the club representing the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She got to the NWSL with Houston Dash in 2014 after a season playing in the Swedish league in Tyresö FF, a club in the vicinity of the capital city Stockholm. In 2015, she was traded in one of those complex multi party trades involving Houston Dash, Seattle Reign, and the Portland Thorns.
The Pittsburgh native, a feisty hard working left wing back, with a positional prowess that allows her to be a multi role defensive player. The Iron City proud 5’2”, in her natural left lane, has been a formidable team maker player for her ability to support midfielders and to double on the attack with her runs forward and her great ability to cross the ball into space. She is known also for her leadership, and for playing hear heart out, leaving it all attitude in the field.
Emotional embrace by Christine Sinclair and Megan Klingenberg both retiring at the end of the season (Photo by Diego G Diaz).
Klingenberg has never physically scored in her 186 appearances an NWSL game. However, her impact as a player is incalculable, having been a critical player in the 2017, 2022 NWSL Cups, 2016 and 2021 NWSL Shields, 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, 2021 Women’s International Champions Cup, and the Covid substitute championship, and the NWSL Fall Series.
2022 NWSL Winners reception at PDX
Megan Klingenberg at the victory rally for the ’22 NWSL Cup
As a USWNT player, she was part of the 2015 Canada FIFA Women’s World Cup that topped Japan 5-2 in the final with Kling in the starting line up in her native left back position. Fun fact, Klingenberg is a Taekwondo black belt, and praises her martial arts training as very important in her football play style.
And the end of regulation, the party had a single spotlight, and that was for Christine Sinclair. From her high school days in Burnaby, British Columbia, she raised to be one of North America most influential players in history. Her club career shares with Klingenberg almost all the club titles, only adding the inaugural NWSL league in 2013. As a an international player, she earned the 2012 Golden Boot in the Summer Olympics of 2012, and the Golden Boots of CONCACAF Gold Cup of 2002, 2006. She was a gold medal in the 2021 Summer Olympics, amongst many others.
A breath taking career that has put her as the all time top scoring player with 190 career goals in 328 appearances. And a chance to extend that mark in Sunday’s next regulation 90 minutes.
Sinclair almost monopolized the Canadian Player of the Year award, and beyond football, has been the recipient of the Order of Canada insignia, the second highest honor a Canadian can get. She even got attention from the crown, that made her recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, awarded by the now defunct Queen Elizabeth II, British monarch whose symbolic rule still extends to the Commonwealth realms that once were part of the British Empire.
The retirement of Sinclair, joins Alex Morgan’s farewell at the end of the season, leaving Allie Long as the only active player left from the original class of the 2013 champions squad.
In the eve of the playoffs, it is increasingly important to celebrate greatness, especially during these times when we can feel trapped in a news cycle that defy the rules of good mental health. It is very important to elevate the careers built against the wind in times of a wave of toxic gender rhetoric more appropriate of Victorian times, with sports used as an excuse for cultural wars, at the center of hatred towards women’s independence, LGBTQ, and trans rights.
It is most important to take this moments, to honor figures like Christine Sinclair, Megan Klingenberg, Martha, Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara, Sam Mewis, and even look back to legends of the game like Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm, players that have inspired generations, and that effectively elevated visibility, and even as much more work needs to be done, did their share narrowing the wage inequality.
Sophia Smith scores Portland’s second goal (photos by Diego G Diaz)
They live their lives loud, they are role models inspiring youth to go the training pitches, and gave us more new generations of talent to assure the vitality of the game. Without them, we wouldn’t have players like like our own Sophia Smith, Sam Coffee, Morgan Weaver, other like Janine Beckie, Temwa Chawinga, Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Lindsey Horan, and overseas with balloon d’Or winner Spanish world champion, Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati, too many to list, all too important to ignore.
A golden generation of players whose wealth of character travelled around the world, making women’s football a rich, vibrant growing world sport. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand reached international record ratings with over 2 billion viewers.
The legacy isn’t over, both Sinclair and Klingenberg are joined with a Portland Thorns who finally got their full squad back from international compromises and injuries, and they will be ready for what is coming to them on Sunday, a very dangerous NJ/NY Gotham City, current champions and game favorites, in an a very attracting duel to be played on Sunday November 11 at the Red Bull Arena at noon PST.
(Photo gallery also by Diego G Diaz)
