‘Riviere can be a world-class full-back’ – Priestman praises Manchester United defender | OneFootball

Canada announced their preliminary 25-player squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 on Thursday afternoon.

Seven Barclays Women’s Super League players were included in the preliminary squad, those being Sabrina D’Angelo (Arsenal), Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea), Shelina Zadorsky (Tottenham Hotspur), Jayde Riviere (Manchester United), Jessie Fleming (Chelsea), Adriana Leon (Portland Thorns – on-loan from Manchester United) and Deanne Rose (Chelsea).

One Canadian national team player who has struggled with injury this season is Manchester United’s Riviere. The young full-back has only made a cameo appearance for The Red Devils since signing for the club halfway through the season. Despite a lack of minutes, Canada head coach Bev Priestman believes that the player can be one of the world’s best in her position.

“You’ll see a lot of Jayde, she’s a really exciting young player,” Priestman said when speaking in a Canada Soccer press conference. “I think we all felt it in that France game; she comes on and she sets up the goal.

“For me, Jayde Riviere can be a world-class full-back, no doubt about it. She’s worked so hard to come back from a major injury and is more determined than ever.

“I’m over the moon that she’s one of the injuries that I can tick off.”

Another player who has struggled with injury but has made the Canadian squad is Deanne Rose. A member of the relegated Reading squad, Rose played a very minor role in The Royals’ campaign after spending a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an Achilles injury. The young forward was able to get some minutes towards the latter stages of the season and Priestman is hopeful of her involvement this summer.

She said “Deanne, as you would’ve seen, probably got two lots of 30 minutes for Reading. Hopefully, we can wrap her up and there are no setbacks along the way. You know the risks associated with such long-term injuries.

“Fingers crossed that Deanne will be able to push through.”

The Canadian squad boasts a plethora of title winners across the 25 players selected with Chelsea’s Kadeisha Buchanan and Jessie Fleming amongst them. That winning mentality that the players have shown at club level could prove crucial if the North American side are to perform well on a world stage.

Perhaps even more valuable to Priestman, are those who have had to overcome adversity over the course of the season. Players like Tottenham Hotspur’s Shelina Zadorsky have had to dig deep and help grind out results when things haven’t gone to plan. The centre-back has also fought her battles with mental health. Priestman believes that Zadorsky’s experiences will only benefit the national team.

“I’ve had some good conversations with Shelina as a captain who’s also had her own issues off the pitch and has had to turn up and try and push her team through to do anything to win,” Priestman said. “All of these stories and journeys are critical to the group and I think it’s what makes us unique. That uniqueness is something to draw upon and it’s what brings the resilience to the group.”

Canada begin their FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 campaign with a fixture against Nigeria in Melbourne on 21 July. They will then face the Republic of Ireland in Perth on 26 July before ending the group stage with a match against Australia in Melbourne on 31 July.