After coaching Canada to the Olympic gold medal in 2021, head coach Beverly Priestman is now aiming to lead Les Rouges to their best-ever Women’s World Cup result.
Canada have never finished above fourth place at the Women’s World Cup, but they sit sixth in the FIFA rankings coming into the tournament in Australia and New Zealand and will fancy themselves as one of the teams that can cause favourites USA trouble.
While the women rose in prominence under former head coach John Herdman before he moved to the men’s side, Priestman guided Canada to their piece of top-tier silverware.
With the World Cup now in their sights, Priestman and her squad are looking to secure their position among football’s global elite.
Who is Beverly Priestman?
Born in Consett, England, a small town outside Newcastle, the 36-year-old Priestman was hired as Herdman’s replacement in 2020.
Fascinatingly, a 12-year-old Priestman played futsal in Consett on a team coached by Herdman, who at the time was a lecturer and part-time futsal coach.
She began her coaching career in New Zealand under Herdman, before she joined the Canada youth team setup in 2013 as a 26-year-old, first leading the U17 side before a promotion to the U20s in 2017. After a year in that role, Priestman moved back to her home country where she served as an assistant on the England senior squad under Phil Neville, until her appointment with Canada in 2020.
Priestman is married to former New Zealand international Emma Humphries, who now coaches the Canada U17 squad. The two met in New Zealand when Humphries was national development manager for her home nation and reunited in Canada when Humphries was hired by the Vancouver Whitecaps to lead their youth team in 2014.
Since, Humphries has followed Priestman, coaching the Liverpool women’s youth squad while Priestman coached in England, and then rejoining the Whitecaps as director of football development when Priestman was hired as Canada head coach.
Beverly Priestman coaching record
Bev Priestman has led Canada into the top tier of women’s football but her overall record could still use some improvement.
She steered Les Rouges to Olympic gold in 2021 but four of their six matches in the tournament ended as draws.
Canada struggled in the two SheBelieves Cup appearances under Priestman, although they were dominant in the CONCACAF W Championship before falling to the United States.
The Women’s World Cup will be her biggest stage yet and it won’t matter how the individual results go as long as they advance as far as possible, likely targeting at least the semifinals.
Season
Competition
W-D-L
GF-GA
2023
SheBelieves Cup
1-0-2
2-5
2023
International Friendlies
0-0-1
1-2
2022
Arnold Clark Cup
1-1-1
2-2
2022
CONCACAF W Championship
4-0-1
12-1
2022
International Friendlies
6-2-1
12-4
2021
2020 Summer Olympics
2-4-0
6-4
2021
SheBelieves Cup
1-0-2
1-3
2021
International Friendlies
4-3-1
12-3
TOTAL:
19-10-9
48-25
