Canada's Montreal – According to Rocco Placentino, it still seems strange.
Ismael Kone was a semi-professional football player for CS Saint-Laurent less than two years ago. Placentino, a former midfielder for the Montreal Impact, is the team's sports director.And now, at the age of just 20, Kone is taking part in the sport's biggest event, the 2022 World Cup, in front of tens of thousands of people.
We're quite proud of him, and it gives young people throughout the world hope that "maybe one day, it could be me." He has swiftly established himself as a role model for many young people, Placentino told Al Jazeera in a phone interview from Qatar.
Even though Canada played well in their tournament opener last week against Belgium and scored their first World Cup goal against Croatia on Sunday, they lost both games and will not go past the round of 16.
However, Placentino and many other athletes believe that the Canadian men's team's performance goes beyond victories and losses, and there are many reasons to be positive.
"I only see us progressing. Placentino stated, "I believe that this is just the beginning, especially given that we will be hosting the World Cup [together with the United States and Mexico] in 2026. "I find it to be really exciting for Canadian soccer,"
long journey to the World Cup
The Canadian men's team has only ever participated in one World Cup, losing three of its group-stage games in Mexico in 1986. Throughout the years, the squad has seen more challenges than successes.
In contrast, the Canadian women's team has enjoyed enormous success abroad, earning Olympic gold while being led by superstar forward Christine Sinclair, the all-time leading scorer in both men's and women's basketball history. Prior to the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year, the team is now ranked seventh in the FIFA world rankings.
In a recent article for The Walrus news magazine, journalist Harley Rustad noted that "the women's team was changing the game and transforming the landscape of Canadian soccer while the men's team was quietly suffering, losing, and yearning to pass that elusive global threshold."
However, many with ties to the game claim that the men's World Cup qualification this year is changing attitudes and expanding the football audience in a nation where hockey has traditionally held sway.The squad is competing against "top-rated opponents" in Qatar, which is giving them significant experience, according to John DeBenedictis, executive director of the National Soccer Coaches Association of Canada, who told Al Jazeera that their chances can only get better.
The Last 9 Seconds: The Secrets of Scoring Goals on the Last Touch author DeBenedictis stated, "I think Canada is going to be there from here on." This is just a fantastic beginning.
Alphonso Davies, who scored Canada's first-ever World Cup goal 67 seconds into their game against Croatia, and other top Canadian team players are featured in television commercials, he noted, which also serves to motivate and encourage future Canadian athletes.
There is something to strive for because Alphonso appears in practically every advertisement, he added.Strive for one more initial
Les Jones, a former chairman of the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame, shared that sentiment when he claimed that the team's performance in Qatar will inspire Canadian children to take the sport more seriously since "they have seen what they can do."
At the academy level, we have a lot of highly brilliant youngsters, and I think it will motivate them to study harder and hone their abilities, he told Al Jazeera.
Although Canada may not be the most accurate shooter, Jones said he thinks they have shown they "can compete with established soccer nations." According to him, participating in the World Cup gives more Canadian footballers a chance to be identified by reputable clubs and to compete at the highest levels.
The young players on the team will therefore be "four years older, four years wiser, and they'll be technically better" at the following World Cup, according to Jones. "I think you're going to see a dramatic improvement in 2026 if we think Canada played well now."
On Thursday at Al Thumama Stadium, Canada will play its final World Cup match against Morocco. It will be the team's last chance to make history, since Canada has never won or drawn at a World Cup, losing all five of their games and never earning a point in the group stage.The Atlas Lions will find it difficult to win or even draw against a confident Moroccan team because they are still excited about their unexpected 2-0 victory over second-ranked Belgium going into the game.
Alistair Johnston, a defender from Canada, expressed confidence on Monday during a news conference.
We have a highly talented young group, and scoring the first goal does matter, he remarked. It alters the mind in some way.
According to Johnston, getting a point in the group stage with a draw or three points with a victory would benefit Canada in other tournaments as well, such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and upcoming World Cups.
The defender, who is reportedly close to signing a contract to join Celtic FC in the Scottish Premiership, added that achieving one's first win, one's first draw, or one's first result "just helps remove some of those mental barriers."He added that it would demonstrate the Canadian team's legitimacy on the global stage.
According to Johnston, "We've been fighting that for a long time, [for] that sense of belongingness." "So I think a win over Morocco would really go a long way in proving that," he said.
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