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BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2021: Ashley Lawrence profile
We are profiling each of the five nominees for the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2021 award. You can vote for your winner on the BBC Sport website or further down this page until Monday, 8 November at 09:00 GMT. The result will be revealed on Monday, 29 November on BBC World Service and the BBC Sport website.
Age: 26 Position: Defender Plays for: Paris Saint-Germain and Canada
Achievements of 2020-2021Claimed French league title to break Lyon’s 14-year winning streakWon Olympic gold with Canada at the Tokyo GamesReached her 100th cap for her country at the Olym semi-finalDid you know?Established ‘Yes She Canada’ which aims to help girls between the ages of six to 16 gain from her experiencesAchieved 2019 Canadian Women’s Player of the YearWon bronze medal at 2016 Rio GamesIn her own words
How does it feel to be nominated for the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2021?
“Pretty amazing. To think about this past year, there have been a lot of historic moments and just to be nominated among some amazing players is a huge honour.”
Do you have a particular highlight from the past year?
“I would say winning the league. We were neck and neck with Lyon on points, so fighting it out on the field every game with my team-mates, making history with this club after 14 years and celebrating being champions of France for the first time was pretty surreal.”
Was this the toughest season you’ve had at the club so far?
“Yes. Every weekend, we knew the importance of not losing any points, so I would say it was tougher. There was that expectation, but we took that pressure as a privilege.”
How do you think the rest of Europe views PSG now with the league title under your belt?
“Winning the title is bigger than being the champions of France, because of Lyon being the powerhouse that they are. It showed that we are contenders to be champions of France but also looking to win the European title as well.”
What is it about this PSG team that’s special?
“We have a core group of players that have stuck together. We have the ability to play together and just know what each other wants. It’s become automatic on the field and I think it’s shown in our performances. That’s why we’re so dynamic and have become a threat to other teams.”
What was it like winning gold at Tokyo 2020?
“To win a gold medal, the first one for Canada, it was amazing. We all knew the importance of it for us, for the country and for the next generation. We really bought into that idea and I would say throughout the Olympic games, we were fighting for one another and it just shows how special we are.”
“There were a lot of emotions and relief and some tears shed. It’s a childhood dream to represent your country on the world stage but to win a gold medal, we know that it’s about more than us, it’s more than that moment. It’s hopefully going to inspire a nation and inspire young people to be footballers and to represent Canada one day.”
What were the scenes like in the dressing room after?
“Mayhem! It was a lot of fun, a lot of these players I grew up playing with and some of them are my best friends. In that moment there was a lot of dancing, a lot of singing and just celebrating altogether.”
Globally, it has been a pretty difficult 12 months with the pandemic. What does football mean to you now since the pandemic?
“It definitely brings a different perspective. But just being back on the field, it really brought an awareness to me; the chance we have to play the game, to be a professional athlete, to be a footballer and to do that for a living. I’m grateful to have that chance, especially because it was taken away from us. You can’t take these moments for granted.”
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