Sophie Schmidt


Sophie Diana Schmidt is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League club Houston Dash. From 2005 until retiring from international football in 2023, she was a member of the [Canada women's national Association football|soccer team|Canadian national team], with whom she won an Olympic gold medal in [Football at the Football at the 2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Summer Olympics|2020] and bronze in both [Football at the Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012] and 2016. She previously played her club soccer for German club FFC Frankfurt and Sky Blue FC in the NWSL.
WWW sophieschmidt.ca𝕏 sophieschmidt13FB sophie.schmidt.3363IG sophieschmidt13

Early life

Schmidt was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Elmer and Cornelia Schmidt. Her parents immigrated to Canada from Paraguay before she was born, while her grandparents were originally from Germany. She speaks German fluently and studied German in Portland. She attended W. J. Mouat Secondary School in Abbotsford, British Columbia and played for the Abbotsford Rush club team in 2004. She grew up in a Mennonite community and has described her faith as the most important thing to her.

College career

Schmidt attended the University of Portland and played for the Portland Pilots from 2007 to 2009. She did not play during the 2006 season due to her Canadian national team commitments.
As a second-year student, Schmidt played forward for the Pilots despite having never played the position at a competitive level. She finished the season with seven goals and seven assists in 14 games. Schmidt was fourth in the West Coast Conference in total points, sixth in goals and third in assists. She scored the lone goal in a 1–0 NCAA second round win at Colorado. In 2009, Schmidt finished the season tied for first on the team with 12 assists and third on the team with 12 goals. She was named to the Soccer America MVP Team First Team, NSCAA First Team All-American, NSCAA All-West Region First Team, and ll-WCC First Team. She ranked ninth in school history for career points per game and assists per game and tenth in Pilots' history in goals and goals per game in 57 matches. She graduated in December 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Life Science and German.

Club career

Early career

Schmidt played for the Vancouver Whitecaps from 2005 to 2006, alongside former Pilots Christine Sinclair and Tiffeny Milbrett. She appeared and started in eight games for the Whitecaps, recording three assists. In 2011, she played for magicJack in the WPS, followed by a short-term contract with Kristianstads DFF in 2012.

Sky Blue FC

On 11 January 2013, she joined Sky Blue FC in the new National Women's Soccer League, Schmidt played two seasons with Sky Blue, making 42 appearances and scoring 8 goals.

FFC Frankfurt

Schmidt signed a one-year deal for German club 1. FFC Frankfurt of the Bundesliga on 31 July 2015. Schmidt left 1. FFC Frankfurt following the 2017–2018 Bundesliga season.

Houston Dash

After three seasons with Frankfurt, Schmidt would sign with NWSL club Houston Dash in 2019. She made her debut for the club on April 14, 2019, against Seattle Reign FC. During the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Final, she would score a penalty, helping the Dash defeat the Chicago Red Stars for the club's first major trophy. In December 2020, she would re-sign with the Dash through the 2022 season, with the Dash having an option for the 2023 season. On October 4, 2024, Schmidt signed a two-year contract extension through 2026, with a mutual option for 2027. On August 8, 2025, she scored the winning goal for Houston in the 95th minute of a 2–1 win over the North Carolina Courage, helping the Dash to break a six-game winless streak which had begun in May. After being injured in the second half of Houston's 3–0 win over the San Diego Wave, it was announced on September 13, 2025, that Schmidt had been placed on the season-ending injury list after undergoing knee surgery.

International career

Schmidt has represented Canada at both the U-17 and U-20 level, and captained Canada at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship in Russia. She made her senior debut against Netherlands on 19 April 2005.
In her first World Cup she scored against Ghana on 15 September 2007. She subsequently started all four Olympic matches at Beijing 2008, and played at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Schmidt and her team won a 2011 Pan American Games gold medal.
On 28 February 2012, Schmidt made her 30th consecutive international appearance in a match against Scotland in Cyprus and had her first two-goal game. Schmidt and her teammates won an Olympic bronze medal at London 2012. She scored two goals in a 3–0 win over Finland at the 2014 Cyprus Cup on 5 March 2014. In August 2016, she won the bronze medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
18 February 2021, she played her 200th match for Canada in a 1–0 defeat against the United States in the 2021 SheBelieves Cup. On August 6, 2021, she won the Olympic gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics with Canada, playing once by starting in a 1-1 draw against Great Britain.
Following the Tokyo Olympics, the Canadian women's team became enmeshed in disputes over compensation and funding with the Canadian Soccer Association. Schmidt, frustrated, contemplated immediate retirement in early 2023, but was persuaded by coach Bev Priestman to delay her retirement until after the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. On March 9, 2023, Schmidt spoke before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage alongside teammates Christine Sinclair, Quinn and Janine Sonis, criticizing Canada Soccer's treatment of the women's program. Named to the Canadian squad for the fifth time, Schmidt was used as a substitute in Canada's first two group stage matches, playing a crucial role in victory over Ireland after setting up Adriana Leon's game-winning goal.
Following Canada's group stage exit from the 2023 World Cup, Schmidt initially followed through on her planned international retirement. However, once longtime teammate Christine Sinclair announced her own impending retirement for year's end, Schmidt was persuaded to return one final time for the second of two scheduled matches against Australia to be played in both women's home province of British Columbia. Following an injury to midfielder Julia Grosso, she agreed to feature in both matches. On December 5, 2023, Schmidt made her final international appearance, a 1–0 victory in a friendly match against Australia held at BC Place in Vancouver, entering as a second-half substitute for Sinclair.

Personal life

Schmidt became engaged to Nic Kyle, an actor and singer, in September 2017. They married in New Zealand in December 2018.
Schmidt received an honorary degree from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2019.

Career statistics

International goals


Goal		DateLocationOpponentLineup#MinScoreResultCompetition
12005-04-27Start1.175Friendly
22006-03-04Start1.171Friendly
32007-09-15Start1.155FIFA Women's World Cup
42012-01-231.110Olympic qualifier
52012-02-282.136Cyprus Cup
62012-02-282.251Cyprus Cup
72012-03-31Start1.187Friendly
82013-03-061.12Cyprus Cup
92013-12-22Start1.190Brasília Tournament
102014-03-052.135Cyprus Cup
112014-03-052.242Cyprus Cup
122014-03-12Start1.190Cyprus Cup
132014-06-181.154Friendly
142014-06-18Start2.158Friendly
152014-06-18Start2.290+1Friendly
162015-05-29Start1.123Friendly
172016-08-121.155Olympics: quarterfinal
182017-03-031.191–02–1Algarve Cup
192019-04-081.1531–02–1Friendly
202022-07-121.1702-02-0Concacaf W Championship

Honours

Houston Dash
Canada U20
Canada
Individual