Canadian international Kadeisha Buchanan has been named the 2020 Canadian women’s player of the year, it was announced by Canada Soccer Friday.
Buchanan won the award for the third time in six seasons after a year in which she helped Canada qualify for the Olympic Games. She also won three trophies with her club, Olympique Lyonnais, including the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
she was named to the Best XI at the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship in February when Canada qualified for their fourth consecutive Summer Games and won a Concacaf medal for the ninth consecutive tournament.
In France, Buchanan won her fourth UEFA Women’s Champions League title, her fourth Championnat de France (the league title), and her third Coupe de France (the domestic cup). She was also a year-end nominee for the UEFA team of the year.
A native of Brampton, Ontario, Buchanan was honored from a vote shared by Canadian media and Canadian coaches. Alphonso Davies was Canada’s men’s player of the year.
“For Kadeisha to have played an integral part in her fourth UEFA Champions League speaks to one of her many accomplishments and contributions to both club and country in which she should be very proud,” Canada national coach Bev Priestman said in a statement. “It has been a fantastic season for Kadeisha and it has been great to see her performances and the goals she has scored, too.
“She has world-class qualities that any country would be proud to have and she is a highly-valued member of the squad both on and off the pitch, so we are thrilled for her personally in receiving this well-deserved recognition. As a team, to know you have a centre back that opposing forwards hate to play against, it fills the group with confidence.”
With Canada in 2020, Buchanan featured in six international “A” matches from January through March before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. She earned Canada’s Player of the Match honors against United States in the final of the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship. That also was her 100th international “A” match. She also recorded an assist against Mexico and she was named the Canada Soccer player of the month for February.
Buchanan, 25, won the Canadian player of the year award in 2015 and 2017. She has won one Olympic bronze medal (Rio 2016), three Concacaf medals (2016, 2018, 2020) and represented Canada 101 times.
Past winners of the Canadian Players of the Year Award
2019 Ashley Lawrence & Jonathan David
2018 Christine Sinclair & Alphonso Davies
2017 Kadeisha Buchanan & Atiba Hutchinson
2016 Christine Sinclair & Atiba Hutchinson
2015 Kadeisha Buchanan & Atiba Hutchinson
2014 Christine Sinclair & Atiba Hutchinson
2013 Christine Sinclair & Will Johnson
2012 Christine Sinclair & Atiba Hutchinson
2011 Christine Sinclair & Dwayne De Rosario
2010 Christine Sinclair & Atiba Hutchinson
2009 Christine Sinclair & Simeon Jackson
2008 Christine Sinclair & Julian de Guzman
2007 Christine Sinclair & Dwayne De Rosario
2006 Christine Sinclair & Dwayne De Rosario
2005 Christine Sinclair & Dwayne De Rosario
2004 Christine Sinclair & Paul Stalteri
2003 Charmaine Hooper & Pat Onstad
2002 Charmaine Hooper & Jason deVos
2001 Andrea Neil & Paul Stalteri
2000 Christine Sinclair & Craig Forrest
1999 Geraldine Donnelly & Jim Brennan
1998 Silvana Burtini & Tomasz Radzinski
1997 Janine Helland & Mark Watson
1996 Geraldine Donnelly & Paul Peschisolido
1995 Charmaine Hooper & Alex Bunbury
1994 Charmaine Hooper & Craig Forrest
1993 Alex Bunbury
