Christine Sinclair gets her own Barbie doll
Canadian soccer star, tennis legend Venus Williams and 7 other women athletes celebrated by Mattel
Barbie dolls will honour Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair and tennis champion Venus Williams, plus seven other athletes, as part of a project announced by Mattel on Wednesday.
The others being depicted as dolls as part of the 65th anniversary celebration for Barbie are gymnasts Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and Alexa Moreno of Mexico, Aussie soccer player Mary Fowler, French boxer Estelle Mossely, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Spanish paratriathlete Susana Rodriguez, and track and field sprinter Ewa Swoboda of Poland.
"Throughout my career, I've always been driven by the idea of shattering glass ceilings and staying true to myself, and Barbie's mission couldn't resonate more deeply with that ethos," said Williams, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles.
Sinclair was recognized by Mattel for being the leading international scorer in women's soccer, with 190 goals in 331 appearances for Canada. The Burnaby, B.C., native made her national team debut in 2000, bowing out with a final match in December against Australia infront of over 48,000 fans at Vancouver's BC Place, renamed Christine Sinclair Place for the occasion.
In a video provided by Mattel, Sinclair called it an "incredible honour" that was unexpected.
"Hopefully it can inspire the next generation of young Canadians," she said.
Sinclair, 40, is currently playing her 12th season with the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League. She headed into the season with 62 goals — third most in league history — while helping lead the Thorns to three championships over the course of her career.
Sinclair has been synonymous with the franchise, scoring its first-ever goal in April 2013.
WATCH l Just a 'proud Canadian who gave their all': Sinclair looks back:
With files from CBC News