Of all the teams featuring in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Canada had the easiest qualifying route, and it was all achieved without even kicking a ball. After Zimbabwe withdrew their bid, the Canadians secured their spot in March 2011 as the hosts, a couple months before they headed to Germany for what was their fifth tournament appearance.
Having finished in a respectable fourth place at USA 2003, no one would have expected the team to experience the utter disaster that transpired. Not only did they just score one goal, but crashed out after losing every single game, finishing dead last in their group and rapidly gaining a bad reputation for underachieving on the bigger stage, despite winning the CONCACAF championship in 2010.
Since then they have achieved success with new coach John Herdman, namely a bronze at the 2012 London Olympics. But for star striker Christine Sinclair, who scored her team's only goal at their disastrous World Cup campaign, this will be more than just a chance to shine in front of her nation. Sinclair saw her tournament go up in smoke after suffering a broken nose in team Canada's opening loss against Germany and has been a woman on a mission since to make things right.
Canada's fans will hope that serving as hosts will spur the team on as they seek to become the second women's team to win a World Cup on their home turf. The last time this was achieved was by the USWNT in 1999.
Herdman's team will commence their tournament in Edmonton at the Commonwealth Stadium to take on China and New Zealand and then head to Montreal's Olympic Stadium to face the Netherlands. Here are three players to watch as they attempt to make it to the final in Vancouver:
Goalkeeper: Karina LeBlanc
Since making her debut in 1998, Karina LeBlanc - who was born in the United States - has made over 100 appearances for the Canadian national team and will be featuring in her fifth World Cup. Having spent 17 years - more than half of her 35 years - within the national set up, the veteran keeper recently announced that this will be her last international tournament.
Having won the gold medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games by stopping two spot-kicks in a tense final, and a bronze three years ago in London, LeBlanc is hoping to be there in the final on July 5th in Vancouver which would be the perfect conclusion to what has been a strong career as her nation's no. 1. She will be competing with Erin McLeod for the starting spot and it will be interesting to see who Herdman chooses as his preferred choice between the posts for this tournament.
Defender: Kadeisha Buchanan
She might be just a college student, but 19-year-old Kadeisha Buchanan has been a star in the making for Canada for the past few years. At just 17, she earned plaudits by shackling USWNT star Abby Wambach despite her team being unable to eventually defeat the Stars and Stripes. In 2014, she scored her first international goal during a 1-1 draw with the USA in a friendly clash.
Her coach has described her as "the Christine Sinclair of defenders" and she will be eager to make her mark in her debut senior World Cup appearance in front of tens of thousands of Canadian supporters as they seek to emulate team USA's own home success 16 years ago.
Striker: Christine Sinclair
Sinclair, who is her team's captain and all-time top scorer with 153 goals, has also made the most appearances - 219 - for the team since making her senior debut in 2000. This will be her fourth World Cup and she was a part of the team that won fourth place in 2003, scoring the team's solitary goal during the third-place match 3-1 loss to the United States.
An 11-time winner of the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award, and a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year nominee, Sinclair, who is third behind Abby Wambach and retired USWNT star Mia Hamm in most goals scored by a female player, will be expected not just to fire in the goals but use her international experience to help guide her teammates through a tricky tournament.
Here are the ladies who will be hoping to lift the title in Vancouver with Canada this summer:
Goalkeepers: Stephanie Labbé (unattached), Karina LeBlanc (Chicago Red Stars), Erin McLeod (Houston Dash)
Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia University), Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash), Robyn Gayle (unattached), Carmelina Moscato (unattached), Marie-Eve Nault (unattached), Lauren Sesselmann (Houston Dash), Rhian Wilkinson (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Zurrer (unattached)
Midfielders: Jessie Fleming (London NorWest SC), Selenia Iacchelli (unattached), Kaylyn Kyle (Portland Thorns FC), Ashley Lawrence (West Virginia University), Diana Matheson (Washington Spirit), Desiree Scott (Notts County Ladies), Sophie Schmidt (unattached)
Forwards: Josée Bélanger (unattached), Jonelle Filigno (Sky Blue FC), Adriana Leon (Chicago Red Stars), Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns FC), Melissa Tancredi (Chicago Red Stars)
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