PORTLAND, Ore. – Walking out onto the field ahead of the opening match of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Thorns FC and Canadian National Team midfielder Kaylyn Kyle felt overwhelmed by the passion she saw in the stands.
“That was definitely one of the top two moments of my soccer career,” Kyle said of that first match. “[It] was that moment of, 'Wow, we've changed the sport in Canada.' Just to see the sea of red [jerseys]...people actually took the time to go out and support us.”
For the Saskatchewan native, playing in a World Cup match at home brought back old teenage memories of cheering for her national team captain, and now Portland teammate, Christine Sinclair.
“I remember driving down to the U-19 World Championships to watch Sinc in Edmonton,” Kyle said in disbelief. “Now I'm in that situation [of playing in the game], so that was pretty special.”
Kyle subbed into the match against China in the 61st minute and her directions were simple: do whatever you can to help the team get three points.
“I just remember I ran, ran, and ran,” Kyle said. “I just wanted to be part of it and push the team to get that late goal. I'm an energy player, so whatever the coach needs from me—if it's starting, if it's coming in, if it's defending a goal, [if it's] getting a goal—I know my role inside and out. For me, it was just to help our team get that win and we did.”
Despite the mounting pressure for a goal, Kyle felt oddly calm as she stood on the touchline waiting to check into the match.
“I never get nervous,” she said. “I was more excited to show Canada the Kaylyn Kyle—not from four years ago—but to show the world that I can play on this stage and I can help my team and I can get us out of our group.”
Late in second-half stoppage time of that match, Canadian forward Christine Sinclair cooly finished a penalty kick after fellow forward Adriana Leon suffered a foul in the box, giving Canada a critical 1-0 victory.
Canada drew each of its next two matches and finished top of Group A with five points. It was the first time in the nation's history at the World Cup that it finished top of its group and Kyle had been a part of it, coming in as a substitute against New Zealand and starting against the Netherlands.
Against their knockout round opponent, Switzerland, the Canadian women held on to a slim 1-0 lead and earned themselves a quarterfinal date with upstarts England.
“Really, that was the moment when I was like, 'We could do this,' Kyle said of the feeling within the team after the victory over Switzerland. “We had the perfect [route] to the final but it just never worked out.”
While Canada's 2-1 defeat to England in the quarterfinal disappointed Kyle, she says that coming back to Portland to join the Thorns was easier than she thought it would be.
“It's easier coming back to an environment like this where I want to play,” Kyle said of returning to Portland. “It's the same pride [when I] put on my Canadian jersey as when I put on a Portland Thorns jersey.
“I'm playing for the best club in the world,” she added. “I can honestly say that. We have the best fans. It's incredible.”
What still astonishes Kyle, though, is the effect that the World Cup had on her fellow Canadians and the national pride that it roused in people across the country.
“The one thing that sticks with me is when people are like, 'You've really inspired us,' And I'm like, 'Wow, I'm 26 [years-old] and I'm just playing a sport.' It's pretty remarkable.”
