Olympic champion Erin McLeod rejoins Stjarnan FC in Iceland

#CANWNT

Olympic champion Erin McLeod has rejoined Stjarnan FC in the Icelandic first division (Úrvalsdeild) for the 2023 season. After spending the last three seasons with Orlando Pride including a 2020 loan to Stjarnan FC, the Canadian goalkeeper is back in Europe to help her club push for a return to the top of the league standings and a spot in UEFA Champions League.

McLeod spent the back half of the 2020 season with Stjarnan FC when they finished seventh in the league standings, at the time four years removed from their last Icelandic title in 2016. The team finished fourth in 2021 and second in 2022, just six points back of league winners Valur. McLeod featured in eight matches with Stjarnan FC from August through October 2020 and posted two clean sheets.

McLeod has played her club career in Canada, USA, Sweden, Germany and Iceland, including appearances in UEFA Champions League. She won the USL W-League Championship with Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2004 and 2006 and has finished as a high as a league runner up with FC Rosengård in the Swedish Damallsvenskan. She was the Houston Dash MVP and Players’ Player of the Year in 2014.

At the international level, McLeod has been a Canadian legend since she starred with Canada at the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship Canada 2002. She has represented Canada at four FIFA World Cups and three Olympic Games, notably winning bronze at London 2012 and gold at Tokyo 2021. She was part of three Women’s National Team squads that set program records for unbeaten streaks: 10 straight matches in 2003, 11 straight matches in 2010-11, and 12 straight-matches in 2021.

A three-time runner up in voting for the Player of the Year honours, McLeod led Canada in clean sheets five times from 2006 to 2015. She is Canada’s all-time leader with 119 international “A” appearances and ranks second with 46 clean sheets (one less than Karina LeBlanc and one more than Stephanie Labbé).