Three-time Canadian Olympic soccer medallist Desiree Scott has reversed course on the retirement she announced in the fall and signed with the Ottawa Rapid of the new Northern Super League, the team announced Tuesday.
The 37-year-old defensive midfielder from Winnipeg won her medals between 2012 and 2021 and went to three World Cups, making 187 appearances for the senior national team.
She spent seven pro seasons in Kansas City and also played for the Utah Royals in the National Women’s Soccer League, England’s Notts County and the Vancouver Whitecaps women.
Scott said in October the time was right for her to stop playing at the end of her NWSL season, adding she was at peace with her decision. She had missed the entire 2023 season with a knee injury and appeared in 12 games in 2024.
Crunching tackles are Scott’s calling card, earning her the nickname “The Destroyer.” Her most recent coach Vlatko Andonovski called her one of the smartest soccer players he’s worked with.
“My goal is to continue growing the game, inspiring those around me, and helping to build this league alongside incredible teammates and friends like Diana Matheson, Steph Labbé, and Christine Sinclair,” Scott is quoted as saying in a Rapid FC news release.
“We’ve long talked about the need for a professional league for Canadian athletes, and seeing it come to life is truly a dream come true.”
Scott is the seventh and highest-profile player to sign with Rapid FC, one of the six founding members of the Northern Super League that will start this spring.
Other players include Ottawa’s Emily Amano, Florence Belzile and Miranda Smith, who was the 2018 national championship tournament MVP for the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
Desiree Scott is the only signing so far with national senior team experience, though defender Liv Scott (no relation) has made national youth team appearances.