Canadian men's team looks to get back on track in crucial Copa America qualifier

Qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was supposed to be the beginning of a new golden age for the Canadian men’s team. 

So far, it’s proven to be a false dawn.

Last year was a tumultuous one for the men’s side. A tame showing in the Concacaf Nations League final against the United States saw Canada squander a brilliant opportunity to hoist its first championship in 23 years. Later that same summer, the Reds stumbled through the Gold Cup, drawing lowly Guadeloupe in the group stage before being eliminated by the U.S. in the first knockout round. 

Canada’s summer of discontent continued when John Herdman jumped ship to take over as coach of Toronto FC, publicly calling out Canada Soccer on his way out over the organization’s lack of resources. After failing to play a game during the September international window, the Canadian team, now under interim coach Mauro Biello, suffered an embarrassing 4-1 loss to Japan in a friendly. 

That was all just a prelude to November’s debacle affair against Jamaica. After earning a 2-1 road win, Canada conceded a trio of goals during a horrific 15-minute span in the second half in Toronto en route to a 3-2 loss. The Canadians lost the aggregate series on the away goals rule and failed to qualify for this year’s Concacaf Nations League. The defeat to the Reggae Boyz also meant Canada blew its chance to automatically qualify for this summer’s Copa América, which will be held in the United States. 

All of this took place across a backdrop of pure chaos at Canada Soccer, which included both president Nick Bontis and general secretary Earl Cochrane stepping down from their positions, and public mudslinging from the players and the governing body over a labour dispute that rages on to this very day. 

Now Canada has a chance to earn a small modicum of redemption and get back on track. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that Saturday’s contest against Trinidad and Tobago in Frisco, Texas, is the Canadian men’s team’s biggest match since the World Cup in Qatar. The winner of the one-game playoff advances to the Copa América. The loser will sit at home and watch on with envy.

Qualifying for the South American championship, one of the biggest international tournaments in the world and behind only the World Cup and Euros, is hugely important for Canada as it needs to face elite opposition on a regular basis in its buildup to co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the U.S. and Mexico. 

If Canada beats Trinidad, it will play in Group A at the Copa América alongside Argentina (June 20 in Atlanta), Peru (June 25 in Kansas City) and Chile (June 29 in Orlando). The Canada-Argentina contest would be the opening match of the 16-nation tournament. Matches against Lionel Messi and World Cup champion Argentina come around once in a generation for a team like Canada. It has to seize this moment.

“[Copa América] is one of the biggest competitions. Being able to play in it … it would be a good experience for all of us,” Alphonso Davies told reporters this week. 

The Bayern Munich fullback is just one of several high-profile players from a European club who has made Biello’s roster for Saturday’s do-or-die match. Others include Alistair Johnston (Celtic), midfielder Stephen Eustáquio (FC Porto), wingback Tajon Buchanan (Inter Milan), and forwards Jonathan David (LOSC Lille) and Cyle Larin (RCD Mallorca).  

While there are plenty of familiar faces, Biello has also called in a number of youngsters, including goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois (22-year-old, 0 caps), defender Luc de Fougerolles (18, 0 caps) and midfielder Ismaël Koné (21, 16 caps). Other young players have been recalled after not being selected for the last international window in November, including Jacob Shaffelburg (24), Thelonius Bair (24) and Iké Ugbo (25), who have just 17 caps between them.  

According to Soccer Canada, this is the youngest men's team selection since 2019, and none of the players who've been called up are over the age of 30.   

At the same time, some notable veterans have been left off this Canadian roster: goalkeeper Milan Borjan (80 caps), defenders Sam Adekugbe (42), Steven Vitória (46) and Richie Laryea (48), and midfielders Junior Hoilett (62) and Mark-Anthony Kaye (42). All of them were part of the team that Herdman took to Qatar for the World Cup. While the omissions of Borjan and others were by design, both Laryea and Adekugbe are dealing with injuries at the moment. 

Biello admitted that he felt that the Canadian team had "slipped over the last year, post-World Cup," hence his decision to call in the kids. 

"It's about reigniting that passion and bringing the young players that are in form. These are players that are going to be hungry. These are players that are going to want to be part of this journey. And I think, for sure, that is the mindset that I want coming into this camp," Biello explained when he announced his squad earlier this month. 

Thinking long-term is crucial and it's good that Biello is giving opportunities to some youngsters, especially with Canada set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But one wonders if it couldn't have waited until after this crucial qualifier when there isn't as much at stake. Biello clearly didn't think so. 

"The idea behind the selection is to put the best possible squad in place to obviously get the performance we want [vs. Trinidad]. At the same time, I also have a responsibility of evaluating players to be ready for 2026 and giving the opportunity to players now to gain experience is also important,” Biello offered. 

“When I look at the roster, there's a lot of players that are in good form and doing well at their clubs, playing minutes, performing well and being important players within those clubs. So, I'm really excited about the selection.” 

Canada is No. 50 in the current FIFA world rankings. Trinidad is 96th and has only a few players at European clubs — the majority of its squad ply their trade in the country’s modest domestic league and with lower-tiered clubs across Canada and the U.S. 

So, on paper at least, this is a mismatch, and one would expect the Canadians to easily prevail. But then again, Canada was supposed to beat lower-ranked Jamaica last November, so nothing should be taken for granted, especially from a Canadian side that is still walking around in a post-World Cup haze.