Canada close but work remains to compete with global powerhouses

Following Canada's 2-1 loss to Morocco on Thursday in the team’s final game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, many were left pondering what’s next as the program eyes an opportunity to rebound on home soil in 2026.

"I think the quality was missing a little bit of times for Canada," TSN's Steven Caldwell said after the loss. "The concentration levels and this level of football - a really high loop - you have to make sure that you're always aware of where players are. You're always ready for a moment to happen. Canada have proven that at times of games, they just switch off. They give a little bit of slack and then you get punished at this level.

“So, I think some harsh lessons learned, but if Canada can take the lessons and move forward and be better for it, then when this comes out in 2026, then who knows? Canada can maybe win some games and get to latter stages."

Of the many storylines that followed the team to Qatar, from Alphonso Davies' injury status, to the loss of Doneil Henry and everything in between, it was the ones that developed in Qatar that left an impression.

Following Canada's opening match against Belgium, where they played the highly touted nation closely but lost 1-0, manager John Herdman's "eff Croatia" comment created a media firestorm. While he later explained that the comments were meant to inspire his squad, Canada fell to Croatia 4-1, which ended any chance at advancing to the knockout stage.

Having played for Herdman on the national women's team, Janine Beckie knows that he will take away a lot from this World Cup and be better because of it.

"Knowing John, he'll go away from this, and he will not stop thinking about it," said the Beckie. "He'll get right back to work, and he'll watch the clips and he'll will rewatch every game, and he'll watch it over and over. And he'll look at the mistakes that he made tactically, and he won't make them again.

"That's the kind of coach he is…And you heard him there say, there's gaps. He recognizes there's gaps. He's not living in la-la land and saying, 'Oh, no, we should have you know, battered, all three of these teams.' He's logical. He's going to work to close those gaps. And you heard him there say, there's gaps. He recognizes there's gaps. He's not living in la-la land and saying, 'Oh, no, we should have you know, battered, all three of these teams.' He's logical. He's going to work to close those gaps.

Julian de Guzman, a former member of the men's team, said this World Cup served as an important learning experience.

"It's important that he [Herdman] remains on track in terms of building this program and making sure that we don't go into these tournaments naïve, thinking teams are easy walkabouts. It's no longer CONCACAF,” he said. “This is a whole new world when you talk about the Morocco, Belgium and Croatias of the world. It's a great learning lesson for the boys, for the country itself to realize, 'Hey, this is a completely different type of football here.'"

De Guzman also said that more can be done to develop top-tier players on the men's side.

"We need to keep pushing," said de Guzman. "We need to keep multiplying, and we've seen it on the women's side. That whole squad is playing top-tier football. It was the reason why they could perform in the Olympics and the World Cups. Our men's team needs to get there."

When asked if he believes the men's team can get to that level in four years, de Guzman said it could take longer.

"I'm maybe thinking eight years," said de Guzman. "We'll see more. I'm not saying it's going to be enough, but we played against a team that had 15 top-tier footballers. Fifteen against two guys that we had in our group, and that's it and that's not enough. And we need to see more."

Kevin Kilbane, who won 110 caps for the Republic of Ireland national team during his career, was not as complimentary of Herdman's management of the team through the group stage.

"Janine said he [Herdman] won't make the same mistake again, but he actually did from Croatia to this game," said Kilbane on the loss to Morocco. "He made the same mistake in midfield, and he probably played Alphonso Davies out of position."

Kilbane went on to say that he believes tactics cost Canada results in Qatar.

"I honestly think that, certainly in the Croatia game, it's cost him in the first 20 minutes,” Kilbane said. “They showed the spirit and how they fought their way back into the game – and not just spirit, with a lot of quality in the second half. They were able to play the way into and create the best opportunities in the second half, I felt watching the game. It was the setup of the team in both games that's cost them, so John Herman has to look at that and the centre of the team." 

Looking at Canadian soccer with a wider view now, Kilbane believes that Canada Soccer, the national governing body of the sport, has much work to do as a whole.

"There's a World Cup next year, don't forget. There's a Women's World Cup next year. The women want to be treated exactly the same way that the men have been treated in this World Cup," said Kilbane.

"There's got to be a number of questions that has to be asked of Canada Soccer, and how they are actually going to treat the players going forward. There's talk of Canada Soccer, the high echelons of Canada Soccer, flying business class, and the players are flying economy class. These are small things that people may laugh at, but these are the things that players talk about.  And they think it's disrespectful to the players that are travelling around the world to get back to play for their country. They're minor things at times, but the minor things become something, and they become issues for the players going forward. And I think there are some major issues that Canada Soccer has to address."