Hidden gems: How 3 Canadian players took non-traditional roads to Women's World Cup

Canadian national soccer team forward Cloé Lacasse's words said it all. 

After making the 23-player roster for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup roster in Australia and New Zealand, the 30-year-old native of Sudbury, Ont., summed up the moment as a player who had been often overlooked for most of her career.

"Hard work. Determination. Resilience. My family and friends' relentless support throughout the years. It's all paid off for this moment," wrote Lacasse on her social media channels after being named to the Canadian team, which kicks off its tournament with a match against Nigeria on Thursday, July 20.

While Lacasse has enjoyed a rewarding professional career playing abroad (the reigning Portuguese league's player of the year with Benfica recently signed with Arsenal of the Women's Super League), she is one of many Canadian examples of players getting their national team opportunity later in their career. 

Aside from an under-20 camp back in 2012 when she was 19, Lacasse didn't get a call back into the national system again until she was 27. That's when coach Bev Priestman called her into an international series in the UK in April of 2021 against Wales and England.

Since then, Lacasse has made 19 appearances for Canada (starting in four matches) and scored her first and only goal – so far – in October of 2022 against Argentina.

WATCH | Soccer North goes 1-on-1 with Bev Priestman:

Not every player's arc of development happens the same way. There are those that climb the ranks through the often traditional path of the national team's youth system. And there are those that are overlooked in their early years, only to bloom later or get their chance thanks to a coach's fresh set of eyes.

Vanessa Gilles is another. 

"I think what Bev did for this country, obviously winning an Olympic gold medal, but not only that, she gave everybody a chance. I think that's something that a lot of people, including myself will be forever grateful for," said Gilles at a recent practice session in Toronto before leaving for Australia.

"She's brought that to this team in terms of looking outside of the bubble that we already had, looking outside of just Canada and the U.S., getting players that haven't got called in the past, whether that's Mimi Alidou, Clarissa Larisey, Cloé Lacasse, all these players who have been overlooked, giving them a chance to show what they can bring. I think Bev has done an incredible job of that."

It's hard to believe the 2023 edition of the World Cup will be Gilles' first with the team.

A late cut from Canada's 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup team, it's been nothing but a dramatic trajectory since, both professionally and with the national team. 

After making her presence known at the SheBelieves Cup, playing 90 minutes at centre back in a 1-0 loss to the United States, Gilles has been a fixture of Canada's fierce backline, not to mention one of the most sought-after defenders in the world.