Veteran midfielder Desiree Scott looks to make a difference on and off the pitch

Canada's Desiree Scott (11) attacks against Haiti during first-half soccer action in Winnipeg, Saturday, May 31, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Desiree Scott jokes she has been trying to retire for years. But the veteran midfielder, who turns 38 on July 31, is still going strong with Ottawa Rapid FC of the Northern Super League.

“New opportunities just keep knocking on my door. So I’m grateful for them,” she said. “I had a friend who told me before ‘Run ‘til the wheels fall off’ and I’ve got about three left on the old vehicle here.

“The perfect full circle to end in a pro league that I’ve dreamed about and talked about.”

Scott called time on her international career May 31 in her hometown of Winnipeg, playing in a 4-1 win over Haiti that saw her earn her 188th cap and cap a distinguished international career that started in February 2010.

In her first appearance for Canada in almost a year, Scott played 90 minutes in what she calls the “perfect sendoff.”

“It was truly lovely and they sent me off in the most beautiful way,” she added.

Scott had called it quits in October after four seasons with the NWSL’s Kansas City Current. But she came out of retirement in January to join Ottawa.

“I am having fun,” said Scott. “I wasn’t sure what this year was going to bring for me but I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it and playing a lot more than I anticipated I would and enjoying the ride along the way..”

Going into Thursday’s game at AFC Toronto, Scott had played 666 minutes for Ottawa (4-3-2).

Scott is the oldest outfield player in the NSL, behind only Halifax Tides goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who turned 42 in February.

Kristina Kiss, Ottawa’s technical director and a former midfielder who won 75 caps for Canada, initially told the coaching staff they should expect limited action from Scott given the miles on her body.

“And for her to be playing close to 90 minutes every game, she’s had the same impact we wanted her to have off the field on the field,” Kiss said. “And it’s been absolutely amazing.”

Scott worked hard to get in shape for the NSL season.

“I don’t need play back-to-back 90s by any means but I feel like I’m holding it down and still able to run around with the young ones and do my thing.”

Looking to make a difference off the pitch, Scott has partnered with Contigo Canada on “Hydrate Her Confidence,” a national campaign “to empower the next generation of female athletes and leaders through the transformative power of sport.”

Surveys show one in three Canadian girls will drop out of sports by their late teens. The campaign goal is to help girls advance in sport, at school, and later in their personal and professional lives, with Contigo donating to Girls Forward Foundation, a national organization dedicated to empowering girls through sport.

Contigo, which manufactures travel mugs and water bottles, and Scott plan a series of summer fundraising event with proceeds going to the foundation.

Scott is already making a difference with her teammates.

Forward Delaney Baie (DB) Pridham said Scott is “such a magnet,” a veteran always willing to provide advice and a sympathetic ear when needed.

“She makes everyone feel seen. She makes everyone feel comfortable and happy” said Pridham. “She has this energy where she walk into a room and has everyone laughing, no matter what is going on in their life. She’s always bringing people up.

“It’s always inspirational to see the effects she has on not only the country as a player but also just as a person, how much she makes people feel great. She’s a true leader, she’s the rock of our team. She brings us all together and it’s something not many teams are fortunate enough to have.”

Scott says she has ben pleasantly surprised by the standard of play in the NSL as well as what the six founding clubs are trying to build.

And having played in the NWSL’s inaugural 2013 season south of the border, she can compare the two North American leagues.

“We’re leaps and bounds ahead, so that’s a definite positive,” she said.

Scott has also played for the NWSL’s Utah Royals (2018-20) and FC Kansas City (2013 and 2016-2017), England’s Notts County (2014-15) and the Vancouver Whitecaps (2006 and 2010-12).

She says she has not given “a ton of thought” to her future after this season. But she hopes to stay involved in the league in some way, to help it grow.

A defensive midfielder known as The Destroyer for her ability to break up plays, Scott never scored for Canada. But she opened her scoring account for Ottawa in its debut outing April 27, knocking the ball home in a goalmouth scramble in a 2-1 win over visiting AFC Toronto.

“It only took me 37 years,” she said with a chuckle.

“And a perfectly scrappy Destroyer-like goal as well,” she added.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press