Two Canadian soccer players – one accomplished veteran and another rising star – have been commemorated on a new stamp issued by Canada Post to mark the country’s hosting of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The stamp, featuring Christine Sinclair and Kadeisha Buchanan of the Canadian national team, won’t be issued until May 6 in post offices across the country; however, it’s currently available for pre-orders online at canadapost.ca/shop.
“Women’s soccer has generated memorable and dramatic performances from Canadians giving everything they have at the sport’s highest levels,” said Transport Minister Lisa Raitt, who is responsible for Canada Post. “This competition will showcase athleticism and passion for the game – and so do the images on this stamp.”
Bal Gosal, minister of state (sport), said the stamp pays tribute to the tournament’s outstanding athletes, the sport’s world-wide appeal and Canada’s “strength and leadership in playing host to competitions that attract the best of the best.”
The pressure-sensitive stamps are available in booklets of 10 measuring 40 mm x 32 mm (horizontal). They were designed by Debbie Adams, of Toronto, and printed by Lowe-Martin on Tullis Russell paper using eight-colour lithography. The official first-day cover will be cancelled in Edmonton, Alta. – the site of the opening game. A collectible plaque showcasing the players along with a mint stamp is also available.
“Canada Post is highlighting these athletes and the most prestigious tournament in women’s soccer,” says Deepak Chopra, President and CEO, Canada Post. “At the same time, we are celebrating the incredible advancements that the women’s game has made in Canada, on the field and in fan interest.”
Sinclair – Canada’s the all-time leader in international appearances – has scored more than 150 goals in international play. A two-time Olympian, she led Canada to an Olympic bronze medal in the 2012 London Games – a show of effort that included three goals in one game against the U.S. team, which went on to win gold. Additionally, she carried Canada’s flag at the closing ceremony. This will be her fourth consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Buchanan has been called “the Sinclair of defenders” by Canada’s head coach, John Herdman. She was a standout for Canada in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, which Canada hosted in 2014. She plays with a perennial college soccer powerhouse, the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The authoritative TopDrawerSoccer.com ranks Buchanan No. 6 among collegiate and non-professional women players in the U.S. – and No. 1 in her NCAA division.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 will be a game-changer for women’s sport in Canada,” said Peter Montopoli, general secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association and CEO, National Organizing Committee FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada. “Today, these two wonderful Canadian athletes have been stamped into history and will forever serve as symbols of Canada’s contribution to the greatest event in women’s sport.”
Emblematic of the players coming to Canada from around the world, Ayumi Kaihori of Japan, a goalkeeper who has appeared in 24 international matches, also appears on the stamp.
Between June 6 and July 5, Canada will welcome the world’s top soccer nations – 24 teams in total – for 52 matches in six host cities across the country: Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montréal and Moncton. Canada and China meet in the tournament’s opening match in Edmonton.