Expectations for Canada at best-on-best hockey events are always through the roof. Winning gold is the standard. Anything less is typically considered a failure, whether it’s a men’s or women’s national team.
Soccer is a completely different story. Our Canadian Women’s National Team is currently ranked seventh in the world, and not far removed from winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. That team may not be considered the favourite at every upcoming tournament, but a well-deserved “strong contender” label has been garnered over the course of the last decade, and they have the hardware to prove it.
The Canadian Men’s National Team is not on the same level, but recent performances, and development of players who now feature in top leagues around the world, have raised excitement levels, if not expectations.
With the likes of Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan and Cyle Larin, to name a few of the team’s star players, expectations are higher for achieving results within CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football), but “strong contender” is not being tossed about when it comes to how Canada will do at the upcoming World Cup of Soccer.
CMNT is currently ranked 41st in the world, a far cry from 79th, where it was when the last World Cup of Soccer took place in 2018. FIFA even named Canada the most improved side in 2021.
When the 2022 version of the world’s most-watched sporting event kicks off tomorrow, only five of the 32 teams competing will enter with a lower ranking (Cameroon, 43; Ecuador, 44; Qatar, 50; Saudi Arabia, 51; Ghana, 61). In other words, it will be an uphill climb.
But isn’t it great to be at the party, and not have to jump on another country’s bandwagon?
Canada begins its underdog quest against the number-two ranked team in the world (Belgium) at 11 am on November 23. Will you be watching, and taking part in the Peak's World Cup of Soccer contest?
