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Olympic gold medalist and Canadian-American soccer player Sydney Leroux responded to questions about why her children didn't carry their father's last name. Following her 2024 season with 25 appearances, she is taking a break from the sport to focus on her mental health.
Leroux shares two children, Cassius Cruz and Roux James, with her ex-husband and soccer player Dom Dwyer. The couple married in 2015, and in August 2021, Sydney announced their separation. Since then, she has taken full custody and all parenting responsibilities.
On Monday, June 16, Leroux addressed a frequently asked question about her children’s surname. A user on Instagram questioned why Sydney Leroux’s children don’t carry their father’s last name, commenting:
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“Great kids that don’t have daddy’s last name?” a user commented.
Leroux responded:
“As the parent with full custody, full responsibility and who does all the parenting… I thought it made perfect sense that they have my last name.”
The comment was made on a story by Leroux, with Alicia Keys’ “Superwoman” playing in the background. She captioned it:
“A lot of people have asked me this so I’m just letting everyone know..
Sydney Leroux often shares glimpses of her solo parenting, moments from soccer practices to family getaways.
When Sydney Leroux opened up about coming back to sport postpartum
Sydney Leroux returned to soccer 93 days after giving birth to her second child in 2019. Her journey hasn’t been easy. Speaking with Pop Sugar in July 2024, she opened up about the struggles of returning to sport after pregnancy.
“I think with injuries, pregnancies, I think you question – can I still do this? Is my body going to do what it used to do, the way that I know it can?” she said. “Especially when I was coming back from my kids, I felt like I had to learn how to run again… But your body knows what to do,” she said.
Leroux's belief in herself carried her through, and she further reflected on what it means to have her children in the stands during matches:
“For me, I love the fact that my kids can watch me play and follow my dreams. They get to come and see me play in front of 22,000 people, and they think it's so cool.”
Sydney Leroux signed a three-year contract with Angel City FC through 2027 and is expected to return to the ground after her break.
