Veteran goalkeeper Erin McLeod, whose soccer career has taken her to Sweden, Germany, Iceland and the Unites States, is coming back to Canada as the first player signed by the Northern Super League's Halifax Tides FC.
The 41-year-old McLeod announced her retirement from international football in January 2023, after 119 caps. But the native of St. Albert, Alta., continued her club career, most recently with Stjarnan FC in Iceland.
The Northern Super League is slated to kick off in April with teams in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa as well as Halifax.
"I've wanted this league since I was a kid," McLeod said in an interview.
"I'm 41 years young and that's a reality," she added. "But I definitely want to compete. I'm just excited to be able to extend my career, and, honestly, to come home."
McLeod is the new league's fifth player signing, following forward Jade Kovacevic (AFC Toronto), midfielder Charlotte Bilbault and goalkeeper Gabrielle Lambert (both Montreal Roses FC) and midfielder Farkhunda Muhtaj (Calgary Wild FC).
“Bringing Erin into our team is an important step for Halifax Tides FC," Halifax sporting director Amit Batra said in a statement. "Erin is passionate about Canada finally having our own domestic women’s league and knows there is so much talent in our country that goes unnoticed.
"Her extensive experience at the highest levels of the game will help guide our team and inspire young athletes across the country. We're proud to have her as the Tides' first signing.”
McLeod has family ties to Halifax and has spent time there working as an equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility consultant.
"I met a lot of wonderful people there," she said. "The sense of community and a lot of what they're doing inclusive spaces is something I'm passionate about.
"And, of course, my sister lives there with her family. And my partner and I just had a fresh baby so we're going to need family support while we take on this new adventure."
McLeod and her wife, Iceland international midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir, had a baby boy 10 days ago.
McLeod has spent the last two seasons in Iceland, working on her coaching licences while playing. She had been transitioning to a coaching role but says her desire to keep playing was reinvigorated by news of the new Canadian women's league.
"My motivation started coming back. And after about a month of not playing any games, I started playing games and playing really really well."
McLeod last played for Canada on Oct. 26, 2021, in a 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand in Montreal — her 47th clean sheet.
She was in goal for the Canadian women's bronze-medal run at the 2012 London Olympics and started throughout the 2015 World Cup on home soil. She was an alternate with the team that won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but dressed for the game against Chile when Kailen Sheridan stepped in for the injured Stephanie Labbé.
McLeod was 19 when she made her Canada senior debut in a 4-0 victory over Wales in March 2002 at the Algarve Cup.
She has survived a string of injuries since then, with five knee surgeries and one shoulder operation.
"I've definitely changed the way that I'm training and also changed the way I speak to myself and deal with mistakes," she said. "I'm enjoying it, probably the most I have as long as I can remember. Because I'm embracing the good and the bad. I'm just excited to keep playing."
McLeod began her career with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL W-League in 2004. She went on to play for the Washington Freedom, Sweden's Dalsjofors GoIF, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash and Sweden's FC Rosengard and Vaxjo DFF before joining the Orlando Pride in February 2020 and being loaned to Stjarnan.
At the collegiate level, she played two years at Southern Methodist University and two at Penn State. As a senior, she led the led the Nittany Lions to an undefeated regular season in 2005 when she was a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
McLeod has many strings to her bow.
She has long served as an LGBTQ spokeswoman. In 2014, she combined with fellow Olympian Adam van Koeverden, now parliamentary secretary to the minister of health and minister of sport, in the successful campaign to add sexual orientation to the Olympic Charter.
In 2019, McLeod launched the Mindful Project, developed in tandem with Bethel University professor Rachel Lindvall. The goal is to help focus more on positive thoughts while moving past negative ones.
Away from soccer, McLeod has worked as an artist, musician and entrepreneur.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2024.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press