Zadorsky relishing prime of her career

All the hard work has paid off. Shelina Zadorsky is an Olympic champion, she’s captain with Tottenham Hotspur, and she’s loving life playing in one of the top leagues in the world.

(Photo: Jeremy Reper / Canada Soccer).

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She was on the field when Canada made history in Tokyo.

And, boy, was it nerve-wracking – for everyone involved. 

Shelina Zadorsky subbed on late in extra time in the women’s Olympic gold medal soccer game against Sweden August 6. After the 120th minute, in fact. Extra, extra time. The game was headed to penalties. That was certainly the look of it. Bev Priestman’s late sub brought with her a lot of energy – to help a fatigued team in the sweltering Tokyo heat.

When the final whistle blew, and the women lined up for the penalties that would decide Olympic gold, Zadorsky was there, arms around her teammates. The defender was a veteran presence and a cheerleader, to be sure. It wasn’t until several kicks in that she began seriously contemplating her own potential kick …

“I guess if it kept going, I would have had to take one, which was pretty wild,” Zadorsky said recently. “To be fair, it probably would have been a few more. I think that’s how we planned it out. But we were getting pretty close. I was thinking, ‘Alright, this could happen.’

“We train so much for penalties, though, even how we hype each other up along the way. We have set roles. I was ready if called upon if it kept going.”

It didn’t keep going. In the sixth round of kicks, of course, Canada’s Julia Grosso scored the winner and clinched history for the women’s team – their first Olympic gold medal.

“It was really, really special to be on the field and experience that with the group,” said Zadorsky, who immediately sprinted towards Grosso and joined the pile-on celebration on the field at Japan National Stadium. “We achieved something no other Canadian group has done, and it was so special to do it with our veteran players who’ve been doing it for so long.”

Her favourite part? Standing on the podium after the initial elation and excitement had subsided a bit.

“You look to your left and right, and you see players who’ve been shaping Canadian football for so many years,” she said. “It was this moment of, wow, we set this intention and goal and we were able to fulfill it.

“Ultimately, we went to (Tokyo) to change the colour of the medal. And to be able to do that and bring home gold … I think it was just realizing how big a moment it was and being able to stand there with teammates who’ve done it for so long.”

Zadorsky, on the end, focuses during tense penalties at the Tokyo Olympic Games. (Photo: Canada Soccer by Mexsport).

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The life of an international footballer is a hectic one, full of travel, short visits with family, and a whole lot of training – on and off the pitch.

But Shelina Zadorsky can’t imagine living any other way. A self-described ‘nomad,’ she’s been chasing the soccer ball all over the world since leaving home at 17 to attend the University of Michigan on scholarship.

She’s 29 now, and she loves where she is in her now-veteran career.

That’s in England, with Tottenham Hotspur of the Women’s Super League (WSL), where’s she captain of the team and a stalwart on the defensive line for an improved squad in 2021-22.

“I absolutely love playing in England, and I think it’s proving to be one of the top leagues in the world,” she said. “I get to play against some of the best players from all over the world, and I’m challenged week in and week out against that talent. It’s been awesome.”

Through action Sunday (Nov. 21), Tottenham has four wins, two losses and a pair of draws, which has them in fourth place in the league through the first portion of the season. Following an international break, the team will resume WSL action Dec. 12 against Aston Villa.

Last year, Tottenham finished 5-12-5, but Zadorsky’s play was key in helping the squad avoid relegation with an eighth-place finish. Wholesale changes followed, including in the coaching ranks and the roster, and Zadorsky and Co. are eyeing bigger things for the club this season.

“We’ve started well so far. We really want to be aiming towards the top of the table … absolutely to finish in the top half,” the defender said. “I think we have a really great balance on our team, and players who are communicative and want to make sure our standards are high. We have so many leaders.”

They’ve only got one captain, though, and that’s Zadorsky.

Impressively, it didn’t take long for the London, Ont. native to earn the captain’s armband overseas. Originally playing on loan from the Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), she quickly became a favourite of the Tottenham coaching staff for her hard work and veteran leadership. That transfer, signed in August 2020, turned into a permanent spot on the club in January (by May, she had signed a new contract that will run until 2022 – with an option for another year).

She started all 20 WSL games she appeared in for the Spurs during the 2020-21 season, leading the team in both starts and minutes played (1,800). Shortly after signing permanently, she played her first game as captain on Jan. 17, 2021, a 1-0 win over West Ham. She’s since served as captain in 18 WSL matches.

“It’s a great honour, and it’s a good challenge for me in my career,” said Zadorsky, who has played all 90 minutes in five of her first seven games this season. “I definitely have a lot of experience I love to offer to younger players and help lead the back line. It’s been an awesome role, and I just want to keep getting better and better.”

That’s the key. Despite being a two-time Olympic medalist with eight pro seasons under her belt, she remains focused on improving every time she hits the pitch. She reviews her games and keys in on things she can do better. Maybe it’s her decision-making on a play. The timing of a particular tackle. Her pass completion efficiency. Her success attacking set pieces.

“There are a lot of areas I want to continue to get better at. Football isn’t stagnant. It’s constantly evolving and changing, and every single game offers moments you can learn from,” Zadorsky said. “I think any player would say they’re still improving daily. For me, I think playing with my teammates here is a great challenge. It’s a good competitive environment, and we’re all striving to continue to get better.”

Zadorsky with her pro club, Tottenham Hotspur. (Photo courtesy Shelina Zadorsky).

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When she touched down in Canada last month, to reunite with her Canadian teammates for a ‘celebration tour,’ a pair of friendlies against New Zealand, it was the first time Shelina Zadorsky had been back in the country in nearly two years. And her first stop wasn’t even her hometown. Such is the life of an international pro.

“I got to see my family in Ottawa, and they came to the game. It was amazing. And then after the (second) game in Montreal, I did a quick flight to London (Ontario), and stayed for about 36 hours,” she said.

How’d she spend the time?

“Probably eight of those hours were with my little niece and nephew, which was so nice. It was all family time. I just wanted to see all my loved ones and spend time with them. It was great.”

Now, she’s back with the Canadian women, as they’re in Mexico City for a 10-day camp beginning Nov. 22, which will feature a pair of games against CONCACAF rival Mexico on Nov. 27 and Nov. 30.

It’ll be another round of games for Zadorsky, who’s made nearly 80 appearances with Canada’s Women’s National Team – and who’s been wearing the red and white dating back to her youth days, which were highlighted by U17 and U20 Women’s World Cup events.

“I absolutely adore playing for my country,” said Zadorsky, who made her senior team debut back in 2013. “It’s a different style [than pro play], where it’s always on the line and there are so many must-win games. It’s extremely exciting and full or pressure.”

Zadorsky’s real leap to national mainstay came in 2016. After being left off the roster for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, she was recalled to the team in late 2015, after putting in a lot of work overseas in pro leagues in Australia and Sweden. Then it was off to the Washington Spirit of the NWSL – and a permanent spot on Canada’s defensive roster.

What followed was a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, Canada’s second straight third-place finish at the Games, a CONCACAF Championship in 2018, and a World Cup in France in 2019 and, of course, gold in Tokyo, where Zadorsky started two games and was on the field when history was made in the final. Now, the women are looking at qualifiers in the coming months. The game moves fast.

“Yeah, there’s the Euros for women this summer, and we’ll have competitions in those international windows. And then, around the corner, we’ll be qualifying for the (2023) World Cup, and before you know it, it’ll be 2024 Paris [Olympics]. My goal would absolutely be to be at both of those tournaments.

“It’s always great when we come back together. It’s like a family. We have so many players in amazing professional environments, and I think that’s what’s really elevated our game.”

(Photo: Martin Bazyl / Canada Soccer).

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For all the negativity on social media, one of its pluses is that it provides a platform for people to get out messages that can create positive change. This is particularly true for ‘celebrities’ (including professional athletes). If you follow Shelina Zadorsky on Instagram (nearly 75,000 people do), you know that she invites people into her life, sharing the ups and downs and real experiences that shape her as a person.

So, when tragedy struck her family, she shared the news with her followers – and used the experience to spread an important message about mental health. In March, Zadorsky’s cousin, Carley, died by suicide.

‘We lost Carley, my beautiful cousin, to suicide last month,’ Zadorsky shared. ‘Carley was always my biggest supporter and the most kind and fun-loving person. It’s still hard to fathom that she has left us this soon, but she will always be remembered for everything that she was, and for all the love she gave.’

Zadorsky and her family started a fundraiser, through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

“One of the areas I really feel open about speaking about is mental health. I try and open up and really (talk about), you know, we’ve all been through challenges, and we’re not always going to be okay,” Zadorsky said recently. “For me, it’s just being able to use my platform at times to remind people that you’re not alone.”

She’s also vocal about women in sport and the need for safer environments free from abuse. This particularly came to the surface last month when sexual misconduct allegations – and other forms of abuse – arose within the NWSL.

Zadorsky has been involved with organizing shows of support, both with Tottenham and when the Canadian women and New Zealand squads (during October’s celebration tour) held a moment of silence at midfield in a demonstration of solidarity with female footballers everywhere.

“We want to show our support for that league. The NWSL is hurting right now. We want to say, you know, everyone who’s playing professional … anyone who’s playing a sport … should be in a safe environment and be looked after. We want to keep pushing for that, because that’s really the bare minimum, that everyone should have a safe environment.”

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After November’s International window, Zadorsky will be on a plane back to England to rejoin the Spurs and play in two December WSL contests before Christmas. Twelve more big matches will follow, from January to early May, as Tottenham looks to finish in the top half of the standings.

And Zadorsky will soak up every minute. It may be a nomadic lifestyle, but it’s an exciting – and rewarding one – too. Less than a month after becoming an Olympic champion, the Londoner was at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in front of nearly 4,700 fans, being honoured by the club and its faithful fans for her accomplishment.

Thanks for having me @SpursOfficial 💙 https://t.co/Pn7O9CpaZt

— Shelina Zadorsky (@Shelina4) August 27, 2021

Once the game was underway, those fans saw the Zadorsky they’ve become accustomed to – an aggressive defender, on the front foot and putting pressure on opposing forwards. A composed player on the ball, making smart passes and moving the ball up the field to help the team’s attack. How she reads the game – seemingly always a step ahead.

And someone always striving for more.

“I want to help our team keep more clean sheets. That’s a big one for me, because obviously that ensures we have a chance to win the game,” said Zadorsky, who’s helped the team earn three clean sheets already this season. “And I really want to help shut down the top attackers we play against. I put a lot of responsibility on myself to communicate and organize our team and keep us as a unit throughout games, no matter what’s happening.”

She is the captain, after all. And a captain that’s just as motivated today as ever.

“I’m a person who’s very passionate and lively, so (motivation) isn’t something I struggle with. I’m really outgoing and bubbly,” she said with a laugh. “I think that’s why I love football so much, to be in a team environment and striving together for something. That brings me so much joy … being with teammates and continuing to push to get the best out of each other.

“I love where I’m at right now in my career.”