Canada, a major soccer power?
Well there was a time...
Canada, to the befuddlement of many football pundits, qualified to play in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Fielding such stars as Dave Wilson, Mike Sweeney, Colin Miller and other also rans the team made it into the first round of the "Hand of God" World Cup playing against the likes of Michel Platini in one of the most memorable world cups of the last thirty years, bolstered by a Gary Lineker Golden Boot Award and a certain diminutive Argentinian. Twenty years later and Canada had its most famous World Cup contribution when Calgary's Owen Hargreaves lit up the 2006 World Cup playing for England. He was the best player for the English team. He was the only one to score on penalties as well. However in 1986 Canada was just happy to be there, they didn't score a goal or ever look like scoring one.
1986. England, Argentina and um, Canada?
Miraculously and partly due to the fact that perennial World Cup quarter finalists Mexico were given a bye as hosts and because Canada played their final qualifying game in windy and freezing St John, Newfoundland against a homesick Honduras, the Canadian team, by simple virtue of luck, dedication and serendipity – playing without a domestic league of its own – performed the kind of feat that a group of plumbers might perform if they made it into the final sixteen of the Champions League.
Revolving Door of Coaches
With Canadian soccer growing since the time of the 1980s heyday why then has it shot itself in the foot so many times since and let marquee players such as Owen Hargreaves and Johnathan de Guzman slip through its fingers? A key must be the revolving door of coaches, whom have included former German national player Holgier Osiek, Frank Yallop, former Canadian player Dale Mitchell and other less known figures. Part of the blame must be placed on the lack of infrastructure and also the fact that Canada is a hockey nation, not likely to change anytime soon is it?
However where there is nostalgia for 1986 there is also a real sense of things having moved on. There are now three Canadian pro teams in Major League Soccer: Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto and many leaders of Canada's current national team such as Julian De Guzman have played internationally in the La Liga or English Premiership. Some veterans such as Paul Staltieri have won German Domestic league cups.
Footballing Academy fosters U 17 stars
Add to the fact that there is a footballing academy set up in the heart of Canada's Hockey heartland, Toronto and that the young guns of this academy who mainly play for the U 17 team – a team which the supremely talented Hargreaves never made as he was in Germany – have beaten Trinidad and Tobago and qualified for the U17 World Cup. What you might say? As the U 20's stake a claim at the CONCACAF finals to get to a World cup of their own, this is a different era for Canada. Stars such as Kevin Alemen, Christopher Nalco and Bryce Anderson are ones to watch.
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