.jpg) Diana Matheson in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Diana Beverly Matheson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1984-04-06)April 6, 1984 (age 41) | ||
| Place of birth | Mississauga, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Oakville SC | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2007 | Princeton Tigers | 57 | (26) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003 | Toronto Inferno | ||
| 2004–2006 | Ottawa Fury | ||
| 2008–2010 | Team Strømmen | 32 | (11) |
| 2013–2016 | Washington Spirit | 67 | (23) |
| 2017 | Seattle Reign | 0 | (0) |
| 2018–2020 | Utah Royals | 21 | (2) |
| 2021 | Kansas City | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2003–2020 | Canada | 206 | (19) |
Medal record | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 July 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10 March 2020 | |||
Diana Beverly Matheson (born April 6, 1984) is a Canadian former professionalsoccer player who played for theCanada national team from 2003 to 2020 and multiple professional women's teams over the course of her career. She is best known for scoring the bronze medal-winning goal for Canada in the 92nd minute againstFrance at the2012 Summer Olympics. She also won a bronze medal at the2016 Rio Olympics and gold medal at the2011 Pan American Games with the senior national team. Matheson was inducted to theCanada Soccer Hall of Fame in 2025.[2]
Born inMississauga,Ontario, Matheson attendedWhite Oaks Secondary School inOakville, Ontario, where she received Principal's Award for athletics and academics. As a member of the Ontario provincial team from 1999 to 2002, she won the national championship in 2001 and was runner-up in 2002. She was captain of the team in 2002. Playing for theOakville SC women's team, Matheson was a 2002 Ontario Cup champion andclub national women's champion.[3]
Matheson majored in economics atPrinceton University inPrinceton, New Jersey, and was votedIvy League Player of the Year in 2007 and Princeton Women's Athlete of the Year in 2008.[3][4]
As a freshman in 2004, Matheson was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection and was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year. She earned first-team All-America and first-team All-Mid-Atlantic Region honours and was one of 12 finalists for SoccerBuzz Freshman of the Year. She was a three-time Ivy Rookie of the Week. During her sophomore year, she scored five goals, second-most on the team, and had a team-high of seven assists (ranked third in the Ivy League). She was one of only two unanimous first-team All-Ivy selections. Matheson earned SoccerBuzz first-team all-region and NSCAA second-team all-region honours. After missing the season-opening trip to Florida to play with the Canadian national team, she started all 14 games the rest of the season. As a junior in 2006, Matheson co-captained the squad and led the Tigers with eight goals and five assists for 21 points despite missing five games to train with the Canadian national team. She was a unanimous selection for first-team All-Ivy. As a senior, Matheson missed the first seven games to play in the2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China. After returning from the tournament, she earned a point in seven straight games of the 10 played and broke Princeton's single-game and career assist records with a four-assist performance against Rutgers. Serving as co-captain of the team, she was Princeton's third four-time first-team all-league honoree and seventh Player of the Year.[3]
Diana Matheson played the second half of the 2008 season in Oslo, Norway, withTeam Strømmen, becoming a runner-up in theToppserien league and also in the annual Cup competition. She rejoined the same club for the 2009 season running from April to October, and for the first half of 2010 until national team duties called her away. She can be seen in a video made by her Norwegian team.[5]
In early 2013, it was announced that Matheson would be joining theWashington Spirit as part of theNWSL Player Allocation, a team in the newly foundedNational Women's Soccer League.[6] She made her debut during the Spirit's inaugural match on April 15, 2013, against theBoston Breakers.[7] Her first NWSL goal came on a late penalty in the club's home opener against theWestern New York Flash on April 20, 2013.[8] At the conclusion of the 2013 season, it was announced that Matheson had been selected as a midfielder to the NWSL 2013 Best XI First Team.[9]
Matheson helped lead the Spirit to its first ever playoff berth in 2014 with eight goals and six assists during the regular season.[10]
After joining the team late in 2015 due to injury and participating in the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Matheson scored three goals and had two assists in just nine games.
In 2016, she scored four goals, tied for second most on the team. Matheson currently holds the records for most goals scored (23) and most assists (12) for the Spirit all-time.[10] In 2016 the Washington Spirit advanced to theNWSL Championship game against theWestern New York Flash. After extra time the game was tied 2–2 and advanced to penalties. Matheson was the fifth penalty taker for the Spirit, Washington was trailing 2–3 and needed to score to keep the match going. Her penalty was saved bySabrina D'Angelo, securing the win for the Flash.[11]
During the off-season, the Washington Spirit traded many of their veteran players. In January 2017, Matheson was traded to theSeattle Reign in exchange forArielle Ship and Seattle's third round pick in the2018 NWSL College Draft.[12]
Matheson tore her ACL while training with the Canadian National team in February and she would miss the entire2017 season.[13] At the2018 NWSL College Draft she was traded to theUtah Royals in exchange forYael Averbuch and Utah's third round draft pick.[14] Matheson never appeared in a game for Seattle.
Matheson appeared in 21 matches for Utah in2018, she scored 2 goals. She returned to Utah for the2019 season however she suffered a foot injury with the Canadian National team that would require surgery forcing her to miss the 2019 season.[15]
As a regular player for Canada, Matheson is remarkable for possessing the speed and skill to hold her place in an international team that is known for its physical approach to the game, despite having a height of only 5 ft0+1⁄4 in (1.53 m). Matheson made her national team debut at theAlgarve Cup in March 2003.[3] Matheson participated in the2007 Women's World Cup, she appeared in all three of Canada's group stage matches, they finished third in their group and did not advance to the knockout round. In 2008, Matheson was named to her firstOlympic Team, she appeared in all four matches for Canada as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by theUnited States.[16]
Matheson played in her second consecutive World Cup in2011, Canada once again did not advance past the group stage.[17] At the2011 Pan American Games, Matheson helped Canada win the gold medal against the defending championsBrazil. The gold medal match was tied 1–1 after extra time and went to penalties. Matheson was the first player to take a penalty for Canada and scored, Canada defeated Brazil 4–3 on penalties to win their first ever Pan American Games gold medal.[18][19]
Matheson was once again named to Canada's Olympic squad in2012, where she played every minute of Canada's six matches.[20] After Canada defeated the host teamGreat Britain in the quarterfinals, they suffered a last minute loss in extra time to theUnited States in the semifinals. In the bronze medal match againstFrance, Matheson scored the game-winning goal in the 92nd minute to defeat France 1–0, and secure Canada's first ever medal in women's soccer at the Olympic Games.[21][22][23][24]
In October 2014, Matheson suffered a torn ACL in a friendly match againstJapan. This injury put her participation in the2015 World Cup, which was being held in Canada, in doubt.[25] Matheson recovered in time to be named to Canada's squad for the World Cup. She was only fit enough to make one substitute appearance for Canada, she played the final 28 minutes in their quarterfinal loss toEngland.[26]
Matheson was named to her third Olympic team in2016, where Canada won the bronze medal for the second consecutive Olympics.[27] Matheson earned her 200th cap for Canada on October 14, 2018, 181 of those caps were starts.[28]
In May 2019, Canada Soccer announced that Matheson had been ruled out of the2019 World Cup due to a foot injury that would require surgery.[29]
In July 2021, Matheson announced her retirement from soccer.[30]
In December 2022, Matheson and business partner Thomas Gilbert announced plans to launch a professional women's soccer league in Canada.[31] The organisation, Project 8, outlined its vision to launch a professional league in 2025 "founded on the principles of inclusion, community, and identity." Matheson serves as the CEO of Project 8.
Her work to establish the league is profiled inMichèle Hozer's 2025 documentary filmThe Pitch.[32]
The championship trophy of the Northern Super League, the Diana B. Matheson Cup, is named in her honour.[33]
She is married toAnastasia Bucsis.[34]
| Key(expand for notes on "international goals" and sorting) | |
|---|---|
| Location | Geographic location of the venue where the competition occurred Sorted by country name first, then by city name |
| Lineup | Start – played entire match onminute (offplayer) – substituted on at theminute indicated, andplayer was substituted off at the same time offminute (onplayer) – substituted off at theminute indicated, andplayer was substituted on at the same time |
| # | NumberOfGoals.goalNumber scored by the player in the match (alternate notation toGoal in match) |
| Min | The minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal. |
| Assist/pass | The ball was passed by the player, whichassisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information. |
| penalty orpk | Goal scored onpenalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.) |
| Score | The match score after the goal was scored. Sorted by goal difference, then by goal scored by the player's team |
| Result | The final score. Sorted by goal difference in the match, then by goal difference in penalty-shoot-out if it is taken, followed by goal scored by the player's team in the match, then by goal scored in the penalty-shoot-out. For matches with identical final scores, match ending in extra-time without penalty-shoot-out is a tougher match, therefore precede matches that ended in regulation |
| aet | The score at the end ofextra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90' regulation |
| pso | Penalty-shoot-out score shown in parentheses; the match was tied at the end of extra-time |
| Green background color –exhibition or closed door international friendly match | |
| Yellow background color – match at an invitational tournament | |
| Orange background color – Continental Games or regional tournament | |
| Pink background color – Olympic women's football tournament | |
| NOTE on background colors: Continental Games or regional tournament are sometimes also qualifier for World Cup or Olympics; information depends on the source such as the player's federation. NOTE: some keys may not apply for a particular football player | |
Goal | Date | Location | Opponent | Lineup | # | Min | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2003-06-15[m 1] | Mazatlan, Mexico |  Mexico | Start | 1.1 | 90 | 5350.03005 3–0 | 5350.03005 3–0 | Friendly |
2 | 2007-05-06[m 2] | Nanjing, China |  China | Start | 1.1 | 30 | 4950.01005 1–2 | 4950.01005 1–2 | Friendly |
3 | 2007-07-14[m 3] | Rio, Brazil |  Uruguay | 45. | 1.1 | 53 | 5350.03005 3–0 | 5750.07005 7–0 | Pan American Games |
4 | 2008-06-14[m 4] | Suwon, South Korea |  Argentina | Start | 1.1 | 25 | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5550.05005 5–0 | Peace Queen Cup |
5 | 2010-02-20[m 5] | Larnaka, Cyprus |  Poland | 56. | 1.1 | 45 | 5350.03005 3–0 | 5350.03005 3–0 | Friendly |
6 | 2010-03-03[m 6] | Nicosia, Cyprus |  New Zealand | Start | 1.1 | 71 | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5150.01005 1–0 | Cyprus Cup |
7 | 2010-09-30[m 7] | Toronto, Canada | China | 85. | 1.1 | 23 | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5250.03005 3–1 | Friendly |
8 | 2010-12-09[m 8] | São Paulo, Brazil |  Netherlands | Start | 2.1 | 55 | 5350.03005 3–0 | 5550.05005 5–0 | Torneio Internacional |
9 | 2.2 | 67 | 5450.04005 4–0 | ||||||
10 | 2011-06-07[m 9] | Telki, Hungary |  Hungary | Start | 1.1 | 87 | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5150.01005 1–0 | Friendly |
11 | 2012-07-14[m 10] | Châtel-Saint-Denis, Switzerland | New Zealand | 79. | 1.1 | 30 | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5250.02005 2–0 | Friendly |
12 | 2012-08-09[m 11] | Coventry, UK |  France | Start | 1.1 | 92 | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5150.01005 1–0 | Olympic tournament |
13 | 2013-03-06[m 12] | Larnaka, Cyprus |  Switzerland | Start | 1.1 | 79 | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5250.02005 2–0 | Cyprus Cup |
14 | 2014-03-07[m 13] | Larnaka, Cyprus |  Italy | Start | 1.1 | 33 | 5150.01005 1–0 | 5250.03005 3–1 | Cyprus Cup |
15 | 2014-03-12[m 14] | Nicosia, Cyprus |  Republic of Ireland | Start | 1.1 | 56 | 5050.01005 1–1 | 5150.02005 2–1 | Cyprus Cup |
| 16 | 2015-12-13[m 15] | Natal, Brazil |  Trinidad | Start | 1.1 | 10 | 5050.01005 1–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | International Tournament |
| 17 | 2016-02-14[m 16] | Houston, USA | Trinidad | Start | 1.1 | 24 | 5050.01005 1–0 | 5650.06005 6–0 | Olympic qualifier: Group B |
| 18 | 2018-10-08[m 17] | Edinburg, USA |  Cuba | Start | 1.1 | 72 | 5050.01005 12–0 | 5650.06005 12–0 | CONCACAF Women's Championship |
| 19 | 2020-03-10[m 18] | Calais, France |  Brazil | 53. | 1.1 | 74 | 5050.01005 1–2 | 5650.06005 2–2 | Tournoi de France |
Canada
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