TORONTO – From a Drake album cover to a FIFA World Cup backdrop, the CN Tower in Toronto loomed over Canada’s unveiling of their 26-man roster on Friday evening.
Banners for each player named to the team hung from the top of the structure after the players were told their World Cup fate during a closed meeting at camp in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I felt right away that this was our current best squad, and probably one of the best squads that Canada has ever had,” head coach Jesse Marsch told reporters after revealing his team.
“That's a great feeling... We should be really proud as Canadians of what we have here, and we should celebrate this team.”
Rising standards
Four years ago at Qatar 2022, as Canada embarked on their first World Cup journey since 1986, they were arguably just happy to be there.
Now, ahead of co-hosting the World Cup alongside Mexico and the United States, standards – and expectations – are far higher.
The team itself is roughly two years younger on average. Thirteen players return for their second World Cup, while the likes of Atiba Hutchinson, Dwayne De Rosario and Craig Forrest, cornerstones of 2022 and past eras, helped announce the roster on TSN.
“We now have a group that's in the prime of their careers, performing the best, maybe in their lives, and really ready for a big moment. So my job is to get them fit, get them prepared, have everybody understand what their roles are, and then let them go play,” Marsch noted.
“Bruce Arena was the first person to tell me that the World Cup is a young man's tournament, because the games come fast... so we have tilted very much to involve more and more young players.”
Recovery timeline
The roster was drawn from an expanded group of 32 names called for a pre-tournament training camp.
And for some, that's a palpable sense of relief after injuries hampered preparations.
That certainly applies to Moïse Bombito, the former Colorado Rapids defender who hasn't played since October due to a leg fracture.
“I will be available 100%,” said Bombito. “When I first got injured, I was a bit nervous because I didn't know what was to come, how I was going to recover and if I was going to make it in time for the World Cup.”
No journey stands out as much as striker Promise David, who underwent significant hip surgery in January, but pushed aside medical doubts to achieve his World Cup dream.
“I can’t wait to tell my parents,” David quipped. “I kind of gave up, and then Jesse, in the funniest tone, called me and said to take as much time as you need, you'll be fine. I said, 'If he's banking on me, there's no reason I shouldn't bank on myself.'”
Then for others, like LAFC winger Jacob Shaffelburg and Vancouver Whitecaps homegrown product Alphonso Davies, the recovery journey is still ongoing. But they're nonetheless hopeful of making an impact this summer.
In focus
For the players, the fulfillment of making the World Cup was met with calm.
The CanMNT know how massive this summer's tournament will be, starting with their Group B opener vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina in Toronto (June 12), followed by tests vs. Qatar (June 18) and Switzerland (June 24) in Vancouver.
Before those matches, they'll encounter magnetic crowds for two pre-tournament friendlies. They'll square off against Uzbekistan in Edmonton on June 1, then meet Ireland in Montréal on June 5.
“A home World Cup is special, but we're really calm and focused, and I think this group is really ready for this moment,” Marsch said. “It's a big tournament, and we know it's a big moment, but it doesn't help us to get all hyped up every moment of every day.”
Already, Canada Soccer staff have tirelessly worked to arrange family plans and travel, ensuring that athletes' focus remains on performance.
“At Copa América, when we were in the hotel in Atlanta [before facing Argentina], and there were people, Canadians all around there, we loved that energy,” said Marsch.
"It's not that we're not excited. It's just that we're laser-focused on knowing that the most important thing is that we're ready for the matches, but we're clearly going to enjoy it."
The final stretch
Canada still have plenty of work to do.
Between the posts, Inter Miami’s Dayne St. Clair and Orlando City’s Maxime Crépeau will each get 45 minutes on Monday against Uzbekistan, both targeting their childhood dream of starting for Canada at a World Cup.
St. Clair joked the two should find another way: “We’re going to play rock, paper, scissors, right now,” he said on TSN, as he heads to his second World Cup.
“We’ll be here for one another and for the team on and off the field,” said Crépeau, who missed out on Qatar 2022 with a broken leg. "It's part of the job, but obviously, we don't hide that we both want it.”
For 26 players, Friday was a dream come true – a chance to play in a home World Cup.
Now, the real work begins.
