Sierra Cota-Yarde

Last updated

Sierra Cota-Yarde
Sierra CY (cropped).jpg
Cota-Yarde in 2025
Personal information
Full name Sierra Deolinda Cota-Yarde
Date of birth (2003-07-04) 4 July 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
AFC Toronto
Number 21
Youth career
SC Toronto
Benfica Toronto
North Toronto Nitros
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2021 Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers 7 (0)
2022–2023 Arkansas Razorbacks 13 (0)
2024 SMU Mustangs 17 (0)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2024 North Toronto Nitros 8 (0)
2025– AFC Toronto 4 (0)
International career
2022 Portugal U19 3 (0)
2022– Portugal U23 4 (0)
2024– Portugal 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 June 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 February 2025

Sierra Deolinda Cota-Yarde (born 4 July 2003) is a footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League. Born in Canada, she represents Portugal at international level.

Contents

Early life

Cota-Yarde played youth soccer with SC Toronto, Benfica Toronto, and the North Toronto Nitros. [1] [2]

College career

In 2021, Cota-Yarde began attending Prairie View A&M University, where she played for the women's soccer team. [3] In September 2021, she was named the SWAC Goalkeeper of the Week in back-to-back weeks. [4]

In 2022, she began attending the University of Arkansas. [5] She was named to the Academic Honor Roll in 2022 and 2023 and also named to the SEC Community Service Team in 2023. [5] [6]

In 2024, she transferred to Southern Methodist University. [7] She earned her first victory in the season opener on 15 August 2024, in a 3-0 victory over the Northwestern State Lady Demons [8]

Club career

From 2022 to 2024, she played with the North Toronto Nitros in League1 Ontario. [9]

In January 2025, she signed with AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League. [10] She made her debut on 11 May 2025 against Vancouver Rise FC. [11]

International career

Born in Canada, she is eligible to represent Canada and Portugal (where her mother was born). [12] [13]

She began her international career with the Portugal U19 team, making three appearances. [14] She made her debut on 22 February 2022 against Austria. [15]

In September 2023, she was called up to the Portugal senior team for the first time, ahead of a pair of UEFA Women's Nations League matches. [16] She made her senior debut on 27 February 2024, as a late substitute, in a friendly against South Korea. [17]

In June 2025, Cota-Yarde was called up to the Portugal squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025. [18]

Career statistics

As of 4 August 2024
ClubSeasonLeaguePlayoffsDomestic CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
North Toronto Nitros 2022 [19] League1 Ontario 2020
2023 [20] 500050
2024 [21] League1 Ontario Premier100010
Total8000000080
Career total8000000080

References

  1. "Sierra Cota-Yarde North Toronto Nitros profile". North Toronto Nitros .
  2. "DPYSL". Pointstreak.
  3. "Sierra Cota-Yarde Prairie View profile". Prairie View A&M Panthers and Lady Panthers .
  4. "Cota-Yarde Named Back-to-Back SWAC Goalkeeper of the Week". Prairie View A&M Panthers and Lady Panthers . 8 September 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Sierra Cota-Yarde Arkansas profile". Arkansas Razorbacks . 31 May 2022.
  6. "Cota-Yarde Named to SEC Community Service Team". Arkansas Razorbacks . 25 October 2023.
  7. "Sierra Cota-Yarde SMU profile". SMU Mustangs .
  8. "Mustangs Shutout Northwestern State 3-0 in Season Opener". SMU Mustangs . 15 August 2024.
  9. "AFC Toronto looks to its roots in signing three North Toronto Soccer players". Sportsnet . 23 January 2025.
  10. "Cota-Yarde Signed By AFC Toronto". SMU Mustangs . 24 January 2025.
  11. Elhilali, Rania (12 May 2025). "Recap: Vancouver Rise Snatches 1-1 Draw From AFC Toronto". Northern Tribune.
  12. "Playing for Portugal and a Power 5: An Interview with Sierra Cota-Yarde". University of Arkansas . 23 October 2023.
  13. "Canadian-born, US college athlete of Azorean descent". Portuguese Tribuna. 12 March 2024.
  14. "Sierra Cota-Yarde: Guarda-redes luso-americana convocada de novo para jogo da Liga das Nações" [Sierra Cota-Yarde: Portuguese-American goalkeeper called up again for Nations League match]. LusoAmericano (in Portuguese). 20 October 2023.
  15. "Soccer adds depth at goalkeeper for 2022 season". Arkansas Razorbacks . 8 July 2022.
  16. "Sierra Cota-Yarde às ordens de Francisco Neto" [Sierra Cota-Yarde under the orders of Francisco Neto]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 September 2023.
  17. "Portugal vence Coreia do Sul" [Portugal defeats South Korea]. Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese). 27 February 2024.
  18. "Lista final com Kika Nazareth: as 23 convocadas de Portugal para o Europeu feminino" [Final list with Kika Nazareth: Portugal's 23-player squad for the Women's European Championship] (in Portuguese). Record. 24 June 2025.
  19. "Sierra Cota-Yarde 2022 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  20. "Sierra Cota-Yarde 2023 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  21. "Sierra Cota-Yarde 2024 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.