Desiree Scott
Desiree Rose Marie Scott (born 31 July 1987) is a Canadian soccer midfielder for Kansas City NWSL in the National Women's Soccer League. Nicknamed "the destroyer",[2] she is also a member of the Canadian national team, with whom she won Olympic bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
![]() Scott with the national team in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Desiree Rose Marie Scott | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 31 July 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Kansas City NWSL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maples Cougars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
North West | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2005–2009 | Manitoba Bisons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2012 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 8 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 | FC Kansas City | 21 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2014–2015 | Notts County | 20 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2016–2017 | FC Kansas City | 35 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2018–2020 | Utah Royals FC | 38 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2003 | Canada U16 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2005–2006 | Canada U19 | 21 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2010– | Canada | 157 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Honours
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 October 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 January 2021 |
Early life
Scott was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her father was born in Kingston, Jamaica, while her mother was also born in Winnipeg. She grew up participating in soccer, volleyball, track and field, and basketball.[3] She began playing soccer at the age of eight.
University of Manitoba
From 2005 to 2009, Scott played Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) soccer for the University of Manitoba. During her tenure with the Bisons, she was named a first team CIS All-Canadian in 2009. She earned Canada West All-Star honours twice and won the Canada West Rookie of the Year award in 2005.[4]
Club career
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Scott played for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC from 2006 to 2012. In 2006, Scott appeared in five matches for the Caps (450 minutes), contributing to the team winning their second W-League title that season.[4]
In 2010, she appeared in seven games and two playoff games for the team contributing one goal and one assist. Scott helped carry the Whitecaps to the W-League Championship where they eventually fell to Buffalo in the final.[4]
FC Kansas City
In 2013, as part of the NWSL Player Allocation, Scott joined FC Kansas City in the new National Women's Soccer League.[5][6] Notts County Ladies of the English FA WSL announced that they had signed Scott in January 2014,[7] but she was subsequently included on the list of Canadian players allocated to the NWSL for 2014.[8]
Notts County
![](../I/Desiree_Scott_2014_(cropped).jpg.webp)
On 27 February 2014, after more than a month of speculation and legal delays, Scott was officially signed by Notts County of the FA WSL.[9] She missed the first half of the 2015 season while preparing for the World Cup with Canada,[10] but returned in time for the 2015 FA Women's Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, which County lost 1–0 to Chelsea. She left the club in February 2016 after making 20 league appearances.[11]
Return to FC Kansas City
On 8 February 2016, it was announced that Scott would play for FC Kansas City for the 2016 season of the National Women's Soccer League via the NWSL Player Allocation.[12]
Utah Royals FC
On 15 February 2018 Canada Soccer announced that Scott would play for the Utah Royals FC during the 2018 season of the National Women's Soccer League via the NWSL Player Allocation.[13] She opted out of play during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup and the NWSL Fall Series. Utah Royals FC folded in December 2020 and her playing rights were transferred to Kansas City NWSL. [14]
International career
Scott has previously represented Canada on the U-16 and U-19 youth teams. After being called up to the senior squad by Carolina Morace, she debuted at the 2010 Cyprus Cup and participated in her first FIFA Women's World Cup at the 2011 event, making two substitute appearances. Under coach John Herdman, Scott became a regular pick and won a gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games.
At the 2012 London Olympics, Scott won praise for her performances in the defensive midfield role, drawing comparison to the male player Edgar Davids.[15] She had a major contribution for the team in the bronze medal game, clearing a ball off the line in defence of the goal to keep the score even at zero.[16] Upon return to her native Winnipeg, Scott was serenaded with chants of her name and outbursts of song consisting of the Canadian national anthem at the Winnipeg airport. Scott took note of the welcome with pride saying that "I’m a very emotional person. To come home and hear my name being screamed... I'm holding back tears right now."[16][17]
On 25 May 2019 she was named to the roster for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[18]
Coaching career
Scott is an assistant coach at her alma mater, University of Manitoba. She was an assistant coach for the West Kildonan Collegiate from 2003 until 2005. She also coached at the South End United Soccer Academy, and ran camps for kids while playing with the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canadian women's national team. Scott has also run soccer clinics and camps, and was presenter and instructor for a number of different high school clubs in Winnipeg.[19]
Scott has been an ambassador for the Homeless World Cup since 2014.[20]
Scott is an athlete ambassador for KidSport Winnipeg, a charity that aims to remove the financial barriers to playing sport, and runs an annual soccer camp for girls on behalf of KidSport Winnipeg.
References
- 2015 World Cup
- Stevenson, Chris (8 August 2012). "Desiree Scott toughens up Canada's Olympic soccer squad". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- "Desiree Scott player profile". Canada Soccer. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- "Desiree Scott player profile". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- "Player distribution sees NWSL take shape". FIFA. 11 January 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "NWSL team rosters taking shape". ESPN. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- "Women's football: Notts County Ladies sign Desiree Scott". British Broadcasting Corporation. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- Mayers, Joshua (3 January 2014). "NWSL reveals updated list of league's allocated players". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "Desiree Scott's Signing Confirmed". Notts County. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
- Aloia, Andrew (3 July 2015). "Women's World Cup: Extend WSL break, says Notts County boss". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- "Desiree Scott: Midfielder leaves Notts County for Kansas City". BBC Sport. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- "National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Canadian Players for 2016 Season". Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- "Canada Soccer announces 2018 NWSL allocations". Canada Soccer. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "Kansas City Returns to the NWSL as Expansion Team in 2021". NWSL. 7 December 2020.
- Johnson, George (6 August 2012). "Canada beats Great Britain with two early goals to reach Olympic soccer semis". National Post. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- Paul Friesen (13 August 2012). "Desiree Scott's the talk of the town". Canoe.ca.
- "Winnipeg welcomes medal-winner Desiree Scott". Winnipeg Free Press. 13 August 2012.
- "Together We Rise: Canada Soccer announces squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019". Retrieved 25 May 2019.
- "Bisons Team Staff". University of Manitoba. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- "Homeless World Cup Ambassador Profile". www.homelessworldcup.org. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
External links
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