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After 46 minutes, a 14-year career came to an end for a Canadian icon.

The Minister of Defence had officially resigned.

Stephanie Labbé, goalkeeper for Canada’s national women’s soccer team, walked off the field one final time during Friday’s friendly against Nigeria. She was subbed off just after the start of the second half in a 2-0 win for the Canadians.

With over 20,000 fans at B.C. Place in Vancouver on their feet, Labbé, sporting her trademark pink headband, slowly made her way to the touchline. She saluted the crowd as she walked across the pitch, placing her hands over her heart and the Canadian crest.

With tears visible in her eyes, she hugged her replacement, Kailen Sheridan, along with head coach Bev Priestman, as she said goodbye to her time with the Canadian national team.

“It was emotional. It was exciting. It was just all the emotions together,” Labbé, 35, said after the match. “What a moment to be able to do that in front of a Canadian crowd, with my friends and family there.”

After the final whistle, the Canadian players gathered on the field to honour Labbé. As she shared hugs (and a few dance moves) with her teammates, a video tribute played on the big screen, and Labbé was joined by her friends and family, including her fiancée, Georgia Simmerling.

When Labbé reflected on the match in her post-game media conference, her voice started to shake with emotion. “Oh, here we go,” she joked. “I’ve done so well.

“I feel very fortunate that I've had this opportunity. I know not every player gets this chance. I feel very fortunate to be able to celebrate this moment with everyone that's close to me, in a country that’s supported me so much,” she said.

As special as the occasion was, Labbé did offer a bit of levity when talking about the moment she left the game.

“I was lonely because someone didn’t come say hi to me,” she said, looking over to Christine Sinclair, who was sitting next to her during the media conference.

“It’s not our fault. Bev – it was very poorly planned. Making a sub when we have a corner – that’s a long way to go,” Sinclair deadpanned.

Labbé ends her career with the national team with 86 appearances (81 starts) and 44 clean sheets, third-most all-time in the program’s history. Before the game, highlights of Canada’s gold medal run at the Tokyo Olympics were played inside the stadium, including several of Labbé’s big saves during penalties in the knockout round, where she earned the moniker of Canada’s Minister of Defence.

Fans saved some of their biggest ovations for any time Labbé appeared on the big screen.

“Everyone knows the contributions Steph had, particularly, I would say, at the height of her career in the summer,” Priestman said. “She’s gone out on top, on her terms.”

Labbé, a native of Stony Plain, Alta., announced her retirement at the beginning of the year, ending her time with her club, Paris Saint-Germain. She wasn’t with Canada when the team competed at the Arnold Clark Cup in February, but she had been training with the Calgary Foothills in preparation for her send-off match.

“I talked to Bev coming into this and I told her – I’m coming in and I’m going to be prepared to play an international game. I wasn't going to step on that field unless I was ready to play against a top team. I took that very seriously, and I know anytime you get to put on the Canadian jersey, it's an honour and a privilege,” she said.

Labbé wasn’t the busiest during her 46 minutes on the pitch on Friday, but she did deliver when called upon. Her biggest save came in the 28th minute, when she made a diving stop on a shot from outside the box.

“Still got it” she joked.

Friday’s game was a continuation of the Celebration Tour in honour of Canada’s gold medal win last summer. Second half goals by Jessie Fleming and Vanessa Gilles sealed the victory for the Canadians, their third straight win during the Celebration Tour after they defeated New Zealand twice in October.

Sheridan, the frontrunner to be Canada’s new starting goalkeeper, made a huge save of her own in the 68th minute to preserve her team’s lead, just getting her fingertips on another shot from distance to deflect the ball out of bounds.

Labbé shared what she said to Sheridan when the two embraced during the 46th-minute substitution.

“I just said, ‘This team is yours. Take this team by the reins,’” she said. “I’m going to be her biggest fan, as well as Erin [McLeod], Sabrina [D’Angelo], and any other goalkeepers that are going to come up through the system.

“It’s an exciting time. It’s easy for me to step away, knowing that the team is in great hands. No pun intended.”

As Labbé smiles at her inadvertent joke, Sinclair slowly shakes her head.

“That was bad,” she whispers.

It’s clear from her teammates’ interactions that Labbé will be missed, and not just for her shot-stopping ability. Or her puns.

“There will be big gaps in terms of what Steph brings to the team,” Priestman said. “Not just on the pitch, but off the pitch – leadership, maturity, experience. That’s hard to replace.”