The Canadian women’s Under-17 soccer team has already made history. Now it’s on the precipice of World Cup glory.

Canada will face Mexico in the semi-final of the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup on Wednesday (live at 4:45 p.m. ET on TSN4 and TSN5). The Canadians defeated Germany 1-0 in their quarter-final match on Sunday to advance to the final four for the first time ever at the Under-17 World Cup.

Despite the milestone, head coach Rhian Wilkinson doesn’t want the team to be satisfied.

“It’s for other people to talk about history and how well we’re doing,” Wilkinson told TSN. “We’re here to win it. I don’t want to shy away from saying that. I think a lot of people were surprised by where we’re at, but the belief in this team is very strong.”

“The team is ecstatic, but we’ve had our celebration for the quarter-finals,” added captain Jordyn Huitema. “I feel like today there was definitely a big mental shift about focusing on the bigger game and the semi-final against Mexico.

“The Canadian spirit is just to be humble, and I think that’s what everyone is. At first it was a shock and we were all really excited about it.  Then it’s realizing that we are that good, that we deserve to be where we are.”

Canada is already guaranteed its best-ever finish at the Under-17 World Cup, and has a chance to make the finals of a FIFA world tournament for the first time since the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship. 

The feat is even more impressive considering the team had a little over a week to train together before the tournament began. For Huitema, the key to their unity is simple.

“I think it just comes down to being great Canadians. We’re super nice people. We’re super welcoming to new faces and new friends,” she said. “I think everyone just really clicked right off the start.  There’s been no resentment or conflict within the team.”

“We put a strong emphasis on the team’s culture,” said Wilkinson.  “Trusting that the fantastic youth coaches across Canada had done the technical work, I could focus on bringing them together and creating a rock-solid culture for a long tournament.”

Huitema, who at 17 already has six goals in 15 appearances for the senior team, has led the way for the Under-17 squad with three goals in three matches, earning nothing but praise from her coach and teammates.

“Just class all around,” said Wilkinson. “It’s obvious she’s performing on the field, but I’m much more impressed with her leadership. I think it’s very unique to have senior team experience, to come in and feel like you’re the boss and everyone will follow you, but she’s earned it.  She’s earned it through her hard work.  She is the glue that holds this team together.”

“It’s not only about her performance on the field – she’s been an extraordinary captain off the field,” agreed goalkeeper Anna Karpenko.  “She’s kept us tight as a team.  On the field, she’s been an amazing leader, making sure that if someone’s not performing, she’s there to step in and make sure that everyone is at the top of their game.”

Huitema, in true “humble” Canadian spirit, downplays her recent success.

“There have been some highlights, but I think everyone has had highlights,” she said. “There are obviously things I’ve been looking to improve on, things from game to game that I see I need to change. I think that’s the thing about the tournament.  You see not only things about the team, but about yourself.  It’s about individual growth as well.”

Huitema also faced personal adversity during the team’s second group stage match against South Korea, when she received a controversial red card for an inadvertent elbow to the head of another player. The discipline meant she was suspended for Canada’s final game of the group stage against Spain, which ended in a 5-0 loss for the Canadians.

Huitema returned in the quarter-finals against Germany and scored the game’s lone goal. She credits her teammates for helping her get through the ordeal.

“They stayed level-headed for me,” she said. “I knew that we have a team of 21 players who can all step on to the field and really perform. That didn’t make me go crazy, because I knew my team had my back.”

“She took on the mantle of team cheerleader,” said Wilkinson. “She was in the stands. I could hear her yelling. She was the rock in the locker room to get them refocused for the next game. She handled it professionally, and I think she’s grown a lot as a leader.”

The squad’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed by players on both the women’s and men’s senior teams.  Veterans like Diana Matheson and Atiba Hutchinson have tweeted their support for the “Baby Reds.”

Wilkinson, who retired in 2017 with 181 caps for the national team, appreciates the encouragement of her former teammates.

“Knowing they’re watching obviously means a lot to me, to have my friends behind me,” Wilkinson said. “But for our young ones, you can only imagine what it’s like to have Christine Sinclair or Diana Matheson tweeting about it.”

Canada now turns its attention to the semi-final showdown with CONCACAF rival Mexico, who is also in the final four at the Under-17 World Cup for the first time. The teams also met in the semi-final of the CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship earlier this year, which Mexico won 2-1.

Much has changed since that meeting on June 10.  Wilkinson took over the helm from then-head coach Bev Priestman, and six players on the current roster weren’t on the team during qualifiers.

“Coming out of a loss, I think there are tons of lessons you can take through to the next game,” said Huitema. “…We have new faces, we have a new coach. I think there’s a whole new level to us. I think our team has changed substantially since that game.

“To be top four in the World Cup, there isn’t going to be an easy match. There isn’t going to be anything guaranteed. It’s going to be a good battle. We have two good CONCACAF teams going head-to-head.”

“The only reason I look back at that game is to see how much we’ve changed since then,” said Wilkinson. “This is what working with young people is all about – watching the way they’ve matured and grown. If you compare us to the first [group stage] game against Colombia, we’re a different team. 

“The group is in a great place. It’s been a privilege to lead them. I don’t think feel like it’s been a huge challenge.  They’re just fantastic people and players.”​