Canada's Jessie Fleming, right is challenged by Argentina's Marina Delgado during a women's international friendly soccer match between Canada and Argentina in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. Fleming has been named Canada Soccer's player of the year for the second year in a row. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Juan Carlos Toro del Rio
TORONTO – Jessie Fleming has been named Canada Soccer’s player of the year for the second year in a row.
The 24-year old midfielder from London, Ont., shared the women’s national team lead with five goals in 2022 and led the squad with 17 appearances and 1,420 minutes played.
She was named to the tournament Best XI at the CONCACAF W Championship, where she helped Canada win a silver medal. She tied with teammate Julia Grosso for the tournament scoring lead with three goals, including the winner in a semifinal win over Jamaica.
She also helped Canada qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Fleming made her first-ever start as Canada’s captain in a February match against England. She later earned her 100th cap while serving as captain in a 0-0 draw against South Korea in a June 26 friendly in Toronto.
At the club level, Fleming helped London-based Chelsea FC win the 2021-22 FA Women’s Super League and 2022 FA Cup.
Fleming, who is in her 10th season with the senior women’s team, has led Canada in minutes played in each of the last two seasons and has scored 19 career goals in 111 international appearances.
She joins Charmaine Hooper and Christine Sinclair as back-to-back winners of the award.
The player of the year award is shared annually by a member of the women’s national team and a member of the men’s team.
The men’s player of the year will be announced Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2022.
