Canada’s Expectations Of FIFA World Cup 2022?
How Far Can Canada Reach in the FIFA World Cup 2022?
The biggest event in sports is ready to begin! The long-awaited World Cup in Qatar is underway, and 32 countries will compete for the title of the best in the world. The tournament will be played in an unordinary time and place, in the middle of the national football competitions, a decision that caused a lot of controversies in the football circles. The waiting is over and every national team that booked its place in the competition will at least dream of possible success and winning the Jules Rimet Trophy. Canadians are not exempt from this euphoria even though they are not among the main contenders.
Canada in the World Cup
The first and only time Canada played in the World Cup was in 1986 when the tournament was held in Mexico. It was not the best display of Canadian football talent, as they failed to score a single goal and lost in all three matches. This time they will try to present themselves to the world in a better light. And they have the right to believe in that after the success they accomplished in their qualifications. They completed them before USA and Mexico, defying all odds and recording a massive success. Because of that, the Canada world cup survey stated that 76% of the Canadian fans think the team will get out of the group stages.
Preparation and Expectations
Football is very important in Canada. It thrived in the last couple of years, becoming the most popular team sport according to the Canada world cup survey. At this moment, there are over one million registered football players in the country. This World Cup is very important to them because a good display can be the best marketing campaign for the next one. Canada is a co-host of the World Cup 2026 alongside the USA and Mexico. Since the tournament will be played in the cities of Toronto and Vancouver in 2026, this year’s success can affect the euphoria among Canadian fans. Because of that, the association is doing all it can to prepare the team for the challenges the team will face in Qatar. In a world cup survey performed by The Athletic, you can find more information about nations’ expectations.
Canadas Best Players
The eyes of the nations will be directed to their main players. Goalkeeper Milan Borjan is the team’s leader in goalkeeper appearances and clean sheets. Captain Atiba Hutchinson is included in the All-Time Canada XI team selection. Stephen Eustaquio has played for Porto in this season’s UEFA Champions League. Striker Jonathan David is in excellent form, scoring nine goals and creating three assists in only fifteen matches in Ligue One this season. He is already in Canada’s top five international goal scorers of all time at the age of only twenty-two. Another striker, Cyle Larin who plays for Club Brugge is Concacaf’s top goal scorer in the qualifiers race, and one of the main reasons Canada will play in this year’s World Cup.
Alphonso Davies
The main player will still be Alphonso Davies. He is Canada’s most talented player on its team, and that statement is justified by his performances for his club, Bayern Munich. At the age of just twenty-two, he already has eleven trophies in just five seasons, including the UEFA Champions League title. His best attribute is his overall speed, because of which he has a more attacking role in the national team than in his club. He has set the record for the fastest sprint in German Bundesliga, as he achieved a speed greater than thirty-six kilometers per hour in a match against Werder Bremen.
Group Rivals
Canada is placed in Group F, alongside Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco. And by the look of it, they will have a difficult job progressing from their group. Their first match will be played against Belgium, then they will face Croatia and the last match will be against Morocco.
Belgium
They represent the strongest team and main contenders for progressing the group. They have a lot of proven football players, but the team star is the creative playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. His ability to pass, score or dribble the opponent will be a nightmare for Canadian players and fans. This team was one of the favorites for 2018 competition winners.
Croatia
In the World Cup 2018 in Russia, they finished as a second-placed nation. They lost in the finals against France, but they displayed great football overall. Their players can present more flair and energy when they play for the national team in comparison to their clubs. Luka Modric, team captain, and the best player won the world’s best player award, the Ballon d’Or, for the year 2018.
Morocco
Morocco is probably the weakest team in the group, not because they have weak players but due to all the controversy, the national team had in the build-up for the World Cup. The national coach and FA president had a dispute over the player’s selection, mainly Hakim Ziyech, and it led to the dismissal of the coach. The FA appointed Walid Regragui as a substitute, but it will be interesting to see how the team will react to all this.
Conclusion
What can we say after all of this about Canada’s chances in the Qatar World Cup? They had excellent qualifications for the World Cup and will look to build on that success. The squad has players able to make a difference, but they will lean on the skill of Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies. The group is very tough, and its rivals are amazing, but Canada will try to present itself in the best light since it will co-host the competition in four years. Considering all this, the fans can expect the team to give all they’ve got and bring joy to the nation.
