For 12 years, Canadian midfielder Desiree Scott has embraced the persona of The Destroyer, owning the intimidating moniker since former national team head coach John Herdman coined it during the 2012 London Games.

“I loved it from the jump,” she said. “I think there's few soccer players that have an ingrained nickname. It kind of makes you feel like a superhero… like I can put on my cape and get out there and just tackle some people.”

But now, The Destroyer is hanging up her cape.

Last month, in a post on social media, Scott announced that she will be retiring at the end of this season. Scott plays with the Kansas City Current in the National Women’s Soccer League, and her team is set to take on the North Carolina Courage this Saturday in the quarter-finals of the playoffs.

“They say when you know, you know,” Scott told TSN.” I do feel like I'm at peace with my decision. I've given so much, and I love this sport, but I'm also ready for the next chapter.”

While Scott will last be seen on the field in a Current jersey, Canadians will know her best for her legacy with the national team. The native of Winnipeg finishes her career with 187 appearances, fourth-most all-time, and has been a part of three World Cups and four Olympics.

A defensive midfielder, she played an integral role in Canada’s two bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, as well as the team’s gold-medal run in Tokyo three years ago. She last appeared for the national team in a pair of friendlies in June.

“Desiree Scott – absolute legend, one of the best ever to put on a Canadian jersey,” Diana Matheson, Scott’s teammate for 10 years, told the media last month. “She's literally been the heartbeat of the Canadian team. And I think anyone who's played with her, or watched her play, or been able to coach her knows that – heartbeat on the field, but off the field too.”

But despite her decorated resume, Scott has endured numerous hardships on and off the field over the past couple of years.

She missed all of 2023 rehabbing a knee injury, and after captaining the Current in the 2022 season, Scott has had to fight for playing time this year. She has not started a game and has accumulated just 127 minutes in 11 regular-season appearances.

After going through the first major injury of her career, Scott said she wanted to prove to herself that she could come back from it and return to the pro level. But at 37, she admits that the process has been difficult.

“I think that was maybe the hardest thing for me – getting back to that peak level of fitness that you need to be at to compete at this level,” she said. “And nothing replicates that like in-game minutes, and I wasn't getting a lot of that either. So,........

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