Canada has a theme 鈥� and a social media hashtag, of course 鈥� for Qatar: We Can.
It鈥檚 a clever slogan for a team that is headed to its first World Cup in 36 years.
鈥淐anada is a football nation, man. We better believe it,鈥� coach John Herdman said when the team secured its berth. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e going to keep coming. We鈥檝e only gotten started.鈥�
Canada has seen a dramatic rise on the world stage in the four years since Herdman took over. In 2021 alone, the team went from No. 72 in the world rankings to No. 40.
Canada earned its World Cup spot the hard way. Because of the squad鈥檚 low ranking, players had to get through the two early rounds of CONCACAF qualifying. They emerged atop the field ahead of Mexico and the third-place United States, which both had byes to the final round.
Canada has since come down from the qualifying high. The Canadians have played in four matches, winning two and losing two. The most recent game was a 2-0 loss to Uruguay in Slovakia in late September.
鈥淚 think by the time we get to the World Cup, and as I said to the players, we鈥檙e not going to get a prize for a performance award at the World Cup. You have to take your moments and we didn鈥檛,鈥� Herdman said.
Canada is led by Cyle Larin, who plays in Belgium with Club Brugge. He has scored 25 goals, including six in the final round of qualifying. Fellow forward Jonathan David, who plays for French club Lille, is close behind with 22. Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies has 12.
Herdman clearly understands that Canada can鈥檛 simply be satisfied with returning to the World Cup after a long drought. The team has to win.
In other words, they have to believe their own 鈥淲e Can鈥� slogan.
鈥淭his is what Canada鈥檚 got to learn, you鈥檙e not going to get a gift. You鈥檝e got to earn it,鈥� Herdman said. 鈥淎nd our whole team has to work to make sure those chances we put away.鈥�
CAPTAIN CANADA
Canada is awaiting word on the status of captain Atiba Hutchison, who missed the September friendlies with an injury.
But there鈥檚 a good sign: Hutchinson returned to training in early October for Turkish club Besiktas.
The 39-year-old captain was 3 in 1986 when Canada last played in the World Cup. The Canadians lost to France, Hungary and the Soviet Union by a combined 5-0. He鈥檚 the only player on the squad that was born before the last appearance.
Hutchinson has 97 appearances with the national team.
Canada was also without Johnathan Osorio, who plays for Toronto FC, for the two most recent friendlies because of a concussion.
TURBULENCE
While Canada prepares for its World Cup, the national team is still in talks with the federation about compensation. This year the team refused to play in a friendly against Panama because of strained labor negotiations.
One of the sticking points was the $10 million in FIFA bonus money the men鈥檚 team earned by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986. Canada鈥檚 national teams 鈥� both the men and the women 鈥� believe they are entitled to a share of the bonus.
Their struggle over prize money comes after U.S. Soccer struck a deal to split prize finds equally between the men and the women.
CROSSOVER HIT
Herdman became the first coach ever to lead both a men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 team to a World Cup berth. He coached the Canadian women鈥檚 national team from 2011-18.
MORE TESTS
Canada has a pair of matches before the World Cup. The team faces Bahrain in Manama on Nov. 11, then Japan in Dubai on Nov. 17.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 just continue the path of controlling the games,鈥� Canada midfielder Stephen Eust谩quio said when asked about the team鈥檚 outlook. 鈥淚 think if we control the games, we鈥檙e going to be more closer to winning them. Try to finish our plays. Try to not concede a goal. I think that鈥檚 important as well against very good teams.鈥�
After that, it鈥檚 off to Qatar, where Canada plays in Group F. The team will be challenged from the start against Belgium on Nov. 23, then Croatia on Nov. 27 and Morocco on Dec. 1.
鈥擜nne M. Peterson, The Associated Press
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