All Scores

Vanessa Gilles’ unique journey to the top of soccer in Canada

Vanessa Gilles battles for the ball during Canada’s friendly against New Zealand on Saturday. (Sean Burges/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Olympic gold medalist Vanessa Gilles was 20 years old when she watched the Canadian women’s national soccer team play Brazil at TD Place in her hometown of Ottawa, Ont. in 2016. Janine Beckie scored a goal in added time to give Canada a 1-0 victory in the friendly match.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Gilles smiled as she recalled being in the stands that day.

“I remember sitting in TD Place, watching Canada play Brazil and saying to myself and my teammates at the time as well, ‘Crap, I want to be on that field. I want to wear that jersey. I want to celebrate with them,'” Gilles says.

Five years later, she was back at TD Place, this time as a player celebrating Canada’s 5-1 win over New Zealand on Saturday in the first match of their Celebration Tour. Gilles, now 25, was a part of Canada’s historic run to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in August, scoring the game-winning penalty kick in the quarterfinals against Brazil and playing a key role on defense throughout the tournament.

Gilles’ path to the top of her sport in Canada, from intrepid teenager to future star, has been fast but not exactly conventional.

‘I don’t want to play tennis anymore’

Gilles didn’t start playing soccer until she was 16 years old.

In fact, her first sport was tennis. She picked up a racket while her family was living in Shanghai and continued to play after they moved to Canada when she was 12, eventually making it all the way to nationals.

“She did quite well, but right after the nationals she told me, ‘I don’t want to play tennis anymore,’” recalls her mother, Josie Castelli-Gilles.

“Why don’t you want to play?” Castelli-Gilles asked her daughter at the time.

“I hate it,” Gilles responded.

Having enrolled Gilles in a sports study program at Louis-Riel high school, where the tennis coach had already designed an entire training program for her, Castelli-Gilles tried to discourage her daughter from quitting.

“I told her to just try it for at least three months, like ‘til Christmas, and she didn’t really want to but I kind of forced her to do it,” she says.

Gilles became “very disruptive” in the tennis group and was benched, her mother says. Eventually, the coach told Castelli-Gilles that Gilles didn’t want to be a part of the program.

“So I said, ‘OK, let’s save our money and our time,’” Castelli-Gilles says. “I pulled her out and she wanted to play soccer. I told her, ‘You do it on your own. I did everything for tennis. You do this on your own.’”

‘This girl could be on the provincial team. Like, now.’

Entering the 10th grade, Gilles had never touched a soccer ball in her life. She told the high school soccer coach, Joé Fournier, she wanted to join the team to be with her friends. Fournier was hesitant at first not because of Gilles’ lack of soccer experience, but because he was worried she would show up only for the social aspect and would distract the other players.

He finally offered her a tryout as a goalkeeper, which Gilles accepted.

By the end of her trial, everyone was dumbfounded.

“She was phenomenal,” Fournier says. “Like, unbelievable.”

The goalkeeper coach at that point was working with Ontario’s provincial program. After two weeks of training Gilles with Louis-Riel, the coach told Fournier, “This girl could be on the provincial team. Like, now.”

It was exciting for the team to suddenly fill a void in their lineup with a talented player straight off the tennis court.

The following week, however, Gilles admitted she wasn’t happy in net and was only playing there because she believed that’s what everyone else expected of her. What she really wanted were more touches on the ball.

Fournier obliged, assigning her to center back. The position suited her because of her physicality, but she had a lot of catching up to do in terms of her technical skills on the ball.

“She couldn’t pass even if her life depended on it,” Fournier says.

Fellow center back Alexie Morin-Holland, who went on to play university soccer for the Ottawa Gee-Gees, took Gilles under her wing and helped her learn the position. Years later, when Gilles came back to visit Louis Riel after making the national team, a student asked her to name her role model. Gilles’ answer was Morin-Holland.

“She knew what her place was on the team,” Fournier says. “Even though she was an unbelievable athlete, she knew she wasn’t at the same standards as those girls at that point. … She grew and she learned from those girls so much.”

Gilles’ natural athletic talent was obvious, but it was her ability to learn quickly and not take soccer too seriously that helped her take off.

“She was extremely focused, but it wasn’t a question of do or die,” he said. “Vanessa just enjoys life. Like, she’s a big joker, like a goof. But at the same time she’s extremely respectful, so she was a good listener, a quick learner because she put into practice what we were trying to help her with. I think that’s why she progressed.”

In her first year of organized soccer, Gilles helped Louis-Riel to the high school provincial championship. Within the next two years, she won a league title with her club team, captured a bronze medal with Team Ontario at the 2013 Canada Summer Games, received a full ride to the University of Cincinnati and, eventually, turned professional.

‘She did a lot on her own’

After playing her last college game, capping a highly accomplished career that included the 2017 American Athletic Conference Co-Defender of the Year award, Gilles came home for the holidays and had a conversation with her mother about the next chapter. That exchange, according to Castelli-Gilles, went something along the lines of:

“I’m going to Cyprus,” said Gilles, who had signed with Apollon Ladies FC of the Cypriot First Division.

“How did you get that?” asked her mother.

“My agent.”

“What agent?”

“I have an agent now,” Gilles said.

“Oh my god,” Castelli-Gilles said in disbelief.

Getting the agent to sign on required a few calls and some nudging from Gilles. But if Gilles has proved anything during her athletic career, it’s that she knows how to get something she sets her mind to.

In 2018, Gilles made 11 appearances with Apollon and scored 10 goals. Later that year, she joined FC Girondins de Bordeaux of D1 Féminine, where she’s since scored three goals in 59 games.

“For soccer, she did a lot on her own,” Castelli-Gilles says.

‘Vanessa is an absolute legend in Ottawa’

Gilles played her first game with the Canadian national team on Nov. 10, 2019 in a 3-0 win over New Zealand at the 2019 Yongchuan International Tournament.

Since then, she’s made 11 appearances, none more notable than in the quarterfinals of the Olympics. Gilles converted Canada’s fifth and final penalty kick against Brazil to set them on the path to gold.

The Canadians celebrated that win just as they had after defeating Brazil in 2016, when Gilles was watching from the stands. This time, she was the reason they had won.

“I think what we’re quickly learning is Vanessa is an absolute legend in Ottawa,” says Canada head coach Bev Priestman. “This city is so, so proud of Vanessa’s achievements … She’s an absolute legend and will do anything to keep a clean sheet and do whatever it takes to win, and I think they’re attributes loved by all Canadians.”

On Saturday, Canada played New Zealand, the opponent for Gilles’ first international cap at TD Place, where she first realized how badly she wanted to play for the national team.

“Now me being able to play on that field, doing exactly what I wanted to do is kind of full circle for me,” Gilles says. “But at the same time, I think about that moment (the celebration of Beckie’s goal in 2016) and I think about other girls sitting in the seats I was watching us play.

“My number one thing that’s important to me is inspiring the youth, having that impact on the players who are sitting in those seats … I can’t stress enough the impact that had on my career and my ambitions, and seeing other people and players in that position is really cool.”

Fournier surprised his 6-year-old daughter, Nève, with tickets to Saturday’s game. Her favorite players are Gilles and Beckie.

He also plans to bring Nève to Montréal for the second game of the Celebration Tour.

Gilles was born in Montréal, meaning Tuesday will offer yet another full-circle moment.

Jessa Braun is an editorial intern at Just Women’s Sports. She is also the Head of North American Content for the Women’s Sports Alliance. You can follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Boxing Champion Katie Taylor Takes Third Straight Win Over Amanda Serrano

Katie Taylor fights against Amanda Serrano during their 2025 bout at Madison Square Garden.
With Friday's win, Taylor retains her IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO, and Ring super lightweight titles. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)

Undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor defeated Amanda Serrano in the boxing legends' third-straight fight on Friday, winning the highly-anticipated rematch by majority decision.

In front of 19,721 fans in Madison Square Garden, Taylor capped the pair's rivalry just over three years after meeting in the first-ever women's headliner fight at the iconic New York venue.

"I can't believe that this is my life," said Taylor after the clash. "I'm headlining the show at Madison Square Garden. I'm looking back on the whole journey. What an absolute, what an amazing life. These are nights that I dreamed of as a kid and sitting here again as a winner. I'm so happy, so grateful."

While the 39-year-old Irishwoman retained her world championship titles in the bout, Taylor had to battle as the 36-year-old Puerto Rican, who holds world titles in over four weight classes, kept the 30 rounds tight.

While Taylor ultimately took home top honors, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian, whose company presented the Friday event, made it clear that "Nobody lost tonight."

The night's biggest winner was the sport itself, as Taylor and Serrano's third and final contest led an all-women's card with 17 world titles on the table — a historic moment that Taylor does not take for granted.

"We created history together three times," Taylor said about Serrano. "My name will always be embedded with hers forever. I'm very, very happy about that."

"What we've been able to create over these last few years has been unbelievable," she continued. "It's amazing to have a rival like that in the sport. And this has brought [the world to] an event like this tonight, an all-female card, because of what myself and Amanda have been able to do to produce over the last few years."

Iga Świątek Makes History With 2025 Wimbledon Championship Win

Iga Świątek poses holding her 2025 Wimbledon trophy.
Świątek earned her sixth Grand Slam title by dominating Saturday's 2025 Wimbledon final. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

New world No. 3 tennis star Iga Świątek won her first Wimbledon Championship on Saturday, needing only 57 minutes to dominate US finalist No. 7 Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to top the 2025 London Slam.

To date, Świątek has never lost a Grand Slam final.

Saturday's title is the 24-year-old's first tournament win this season and the sixth Grand Slam trophy of her career alongside her four French Open wins and her 2022 US Open victory.

Świątek is now the first woman to win Wimbledon without dropping a single game in the final in over 100 years, with Saturday's performance joining only Dorothea Lambert Chambers's 1911 London title win over Dora Boothby in that elite club.

Even more, Świątek and legendary German star Steffi Graf are now the only women's players to win a Slam by a perfect 6-0, 6-0 scoreline in the Open Era, with Graf doing so at the 1988 French Open.

"[It's] pretty surreal," said Świątek afterwards. "I'm just proud of myself because... who would have expected that?!"

With grass proving to be one of the trickiest surfaces in the modern calendar, Świątek is now the eighth straight first-time Wimbledon women's champion, and the first to hail from Poland.

"Today I just wanted to enjoy the time that I had on the Centre Court and enjoy the last hours of me playing well on grass, because who knows if it's going to happen again," she said. "I just focused on that, and I really had fun."

While Świątek celebrates, the tennis world will now switch back to the hardcourt — many players' preferred surface — as the 2025 US Open kicks off next month to wrap up the Grand Slam calendar.

Chicago Sky Look to Upset WNBA-Leading Minnesota Lynx in Second Straight Game

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese and Minnesota Lynx leader Napheesa Collier look on during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Chicago Sky will play the Minnesota Lynx in the pair's second straight game on Monday. (Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)

Fresh off a banner win against the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, the No. 10 Chicago Sky have a shot at a second straight victory over the league leaders as this week's WNBA action tips off.

The upstart Sky handed the Lynx just their fourth loss of the 2025 season on Saturday, snagging the 87-81 victory behind guard Ariel Atkins's game-leading 27 points.

"Somebody said we aren't the best young core in the league — I think we're the best, for sure," Chicago forward Angel Reese said after notching her eighth-straight double-double in Saturday's win. "We do it every single night."

After suffer two of their four losses within the last week, Minnesota will be hunting redemption, as the Lynx faces both teams who bested them before the league breaks for the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend — starting with the Sky:

  • No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 10 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET on Monday (WNBA League Pass): In front of another Chicago crowd, Minnesota will look to avenge their weekend loss and maintain their multi-game lead in the WNBA standings as the league races toward its midway point.
  • No. 2 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 8 Golden State Valkyries, 10 PM ET on Monday (WNBA League Pass): Following an extended road trip, the Valkyries will tip off their first July home game on Monday, as the always-impressive Golden State crowd will try to boost them above the WNBA's No. 2 team.

Top Teams Advance as 2025 Euro Locks In Field for Quarterfinals

France attacker Delphine Cascarino celebrates a goal in the final 2025 Euro group stage match.
France led the "Group of Death" with nine points in three games. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Image)

Last weekend solidified the 2025 Euro quarterfinals, as eight of the region's top teams escaped a competitive group stage to sit just three wins away from becoming European Champions.

World No. 16 Norway emerged as the Group A winner with three straight wins, with host No. 23 Switzerland joining them by advancing from the Euro group stage for the first time in history.

The Swiss booked their quarterfinal spot thanks to a last-gasp goal by midfielder Riola Xhemaili in Thursday's 1-1 draw with No. 26 Finland, giving them a narrow goal differential to advance in Group A's second place.

Speaking of goal differential, No. 2 Spain cruised through by outscoring their opponents 14 to three in their trio of Group B wins.

Despite falling 3-1 to La Roja on Friday, No. 13 Italy secured their position in the 2025 Euro quarterfinals with four groups points — just ahead of No. 20 Belgium's three points.

Though Group C's frontrunners advanced before taking the pitch for their final first-round match, No. 6 Sweden handed second-place No. 3 Germany their largest defeat in tournament history on Saturday, dominating the Germans 4-1 and raising the stakes entering this week's knockouts.

Elsewhere, a dramatic opening round saw the Group D leaders more than survive the "Group of Death," as both stage-winners No. 10 France and No. 5 England emphatically booked their quarterfinal spots with massive victories on Sunday.

While the defending Euro champs staged a 6-1 goal-fest against UK rivals No. 30 Wales to advance, Les Bleues overcame a 2-1 halftime deficit to sink the No. 11 Netherlands 5-2 on Sunday, taking the lead with an astounding three goals in six minutes — including a brace from San Diego Wave attacker Delphine Cascarino.

How to watch the 2025 Euro quarterfinals

The eight quarterfinalists have a short break to celebrate and prepare, as their 2025 Euro slate is wiped clean before the knockouts begin on Wednesday.

Each 2025 Euro quarterfinal will take the pitch on consecutive days, with all matches kicking off at 3 PM ET:

  • Wednesday: No. 16 Norway vs. No. 13 Italy
  • Thursday: No. 6 Sweden vs. No. 5 England
  • Friday: No. 2 Spain vs. No. 23 Switzerland
  • Saturday: No. 10 France vs. No. 3 Germany

Live coverage will air across Fox Sports platforms.

Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.