Group C: star players

Everyone has heard of Christine Sinclair, one of Canada’s most recognisable female athletes and one the world’s top female footballers. Since the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championships Canada 2002, Sinclair has launched quite the legacy for herself, one that shows no signs of slowing down. Later this week, Sinclair will become just the third Canadian player to win 100 caps.



She is well ahead of anyone else with 81 goals in 99 senior matches.



Well, what about the other stars at this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007? Who are some of the players that will be rivaling Sinclair at the world’s premier football event? Thanks to the September issue of FIFA Magazine, we’ve got the names of three star players that Sinclair and Canada will be facing in the opening round. Sinclair, of course, is the “star player” listed for Canada.



Norge (Norway) – Canada – 12 September



Twenty-six year-old midfielder Ingvild Stensland will be taking part in her first FIFA Women’s World Cup. In 2005-06 qualifications on the road to China 2007, Stensland played in seven of Norge’s eight games as they posted a 7-1-0 record. At the club level, Stensland is in her first season with Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC of the Damallsvenskan (Swedish women’s premier division).



Ghana – Canada – 15 September



Twenty-eight year-old Adjoa Bayor serves as the captain for the Black Queens. Bayor will be taking part in her third FIFA Women’s World Cup. She also recently represented the FIFA Women’s World All-Stars in a 2:3 loss to China PR in a special match before the Official Draw (4/21/2007). Bayor is a former African Footballer of the Year award winner.



Australia – Canada – 19 September



Twenty-seven year-old Joanne Peters will be taking part in her third FIFA Women’s World Cup. She scored a pair of goals in 2006 Asian qualifying as her team went 4-2-0 en route to a berth in the FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007. Peters already has more than 100 caps with the senior side. At the Summer Olympics Athens 2004, she scored a memorable goal against the United States in a 1:1 draw (she scored the tying goal in the 82nd minute).