Luca Gasparotto and Dylan Carreiro aren’t afraid of Radamel Falcao.
In fact, the teenagers relish the chance to go up against the Manchester United star, regarded as one of the best forwards in world soccer today, when Canada takes on Colombia next week in an international friendly.
Canada plays the South American powerhouse on Oct. 14 at Red Bull Arena, home of MLS’s New York Red Bulls. With any luck, Gasparotto and Carreiro—two of Canada’s brightest prospects—will earn their first caps for the senior national team.
Programming alert: Watch Canada vs Colombia on Sportsnet World on Tuesday, October 14 at 9:00 pm ET. The match will also be live streamed on Sportsnet.ca || TV schedule
Colombia is ranked third in the world, and is coming off a successful World up in the summer when they reached the quarterfinals. What’s more, Los Cafeteros are fielding their “A-team,” including Falcao and Real Madrid star James Rodriguez. Canada, on the other hand, is ranked 120th in the world, and coach Benito Floro has put together an experimental side featuring a number of youngsters. The general consensus is that the South Americans are going to make easy work of the Reds.
But Gasparotto and Carreiro, both 19, aren’t intimidated. How come? Maybe it’s because they’re currently plying their trades with Airdrieonians and Arbroath in the Scottish lower leagues where the physical style of play has toughened up the young Canadians.
“You never really lose what you have when you start out—you just gain what you didn’t have,” Carreiro told Sportsnet. “For me, I’m always going to have my technical ability. Playing in Scotland is just going to help me become stronger. It’s made me tougher.”
Gasparotto added: “Playing against older and more experienced players can only make you better… I feel like I’m getting better with each game I play. It’s made me more fearless.”
Carreiro, a midfielder from Winnipeg, is on loan with Arbroath in the Scottish fourth division, and will re-join top-flight Dundee FC in mid-December. Gasparatto. A defender, is on loan at third-division Airdrieonians until January, at which point he expects to head back to Glasgow Rangers, who currently sit second in the Scottish second division.
Gasparotto has been involved in two previous Canadian senior-team training camps, but has yet to make his debut for the Reds. This is Carreiro’s first call-up. Neither has received any indication from Floro whether they’ll see action against Falcao & Co.
Representing the senior team would be the next natural step for Carreiro, who is the captain of Canada’s under-20 side.
“It’s one of the biggest achievements you can have as a footballer—playing for your country. What’s better than earning your first cap against third-ranked Colombia? Representing Canada is a great achievement and something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little boy,” said Carreiro, who joined Dundee from Queens Park Rangers in August.
“Seeing the likes of Falcao, James Rodriguez and Fredy Guarin, it’ll be very emotional and very exciting, but also very nerve wracking.”
Gasparotto added: “That’s what you work for your entire life: to get into the first team, and playing at the highest level with the highest level of players for yur country.”
Historically, Canada has struggled to score goals and lacked creativity in the final third of the pitch. Carreiro might be able to help address that problem—he’s quick, attack-minded prospect who can play either as a midfielder or forward. Another thing he has going for him is that Floro has stressed a more possession-style game since taking over the coaching reins last summer.
“I’m a player who likes to get forward, and I like to make things happen and create chances for the team. I can score goals and create,” said Carreiro, who recently scored a brace for Arbroath.
Gasparotto, too, should benefit from Floro’s tactical approach.
“I think that’s one of my strong points—getting the ball and playing it out of the back and keeping possession. It’s hard in Scotland’s lower leagues because it’s so much different—with the majority of the games the ball is up in the air and they kick it long. It suits my game to have a coach like Floro,” Gasparotto offered.
Carreiro has bounced around a bit for someone who is still a teenager. He moved from Manitoba to Ontario to join Toronto FC’s youth academy, and then signed with QPR. When things didn’t work out with the London club, he moved to Dundee.
“It’s been a big transition, especially coming from London and the under-21 league I was playing in last year. I really enjoy living in Scotland. Going on loan, its helped me get competitive games and gain experience,” Carreiro said.
Citing Wesley Sneijder as his soccer hero, Carreiro worked closely with Danny Dichio and Jim Brennan during his time with TFC’s youth academy, and credits the MLS club for playing a crucial role in his development.
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Like his Canadian teammate, Gasparotto has enjoyed recent goal-scoring success in Scotland, finding the back of the net in Airdrieonians’ 3-2 win over Ayr United. It was his second goal in as many games.
He’s used this camp and his previous two training stints with the senior team to glean as much as he can from veteran defenders David Edgar and Adam Straith.
“They’ve been good with me in the camps I’ve attended and try to help me as much as possible. I look up to them,” Gasparotto said.
The native of Ajax, Ontario, has one more season left on his contract with Rangers. He admitted playing time might be hard to come by when he returns to the Glasgow club in January, and admitted he wouldn’t be opposed to extending his loan if it meant regular, first-team soccer.
Impressing against one of the best sides in the world on Tuesday could go a long way towards getting those minutes.