Previewing Canada’s 2022 World Cup team
Josh Werle, Sports Editor
The Canadian men’s national team will be competing in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in more than three decades. Thirty-six years after their last appearance, Canada will look to make a splash during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 20. Canada won’t play their first game until later in the week, but the team has already landed in Qatar to begin preparations for their first match.
Scheduled games
After a semi-random draw, Canada will be playing in Group F during the FIFA World Cup this year. They will be joined by their three opponents, Belgium, Croatia and Morocco. Canada will play their first game on Wednesday, Nov. 23, against Belgium. Following that, they will square off against Croatia on Sunday, Nov. 27, and will play their final round one game against Morocco on Thursday, Dec. 1.
The team
The two superstars of the Canadian men’s national team are forwards Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David. The two 22-year-olds have been noted as some of the greatest soccer players currently competing. Since 2018, Jonathan David has appeared in 35 games for the Canadian national team, recording 22 goals during that time.
Alphonso Davies has played for the national team since 2017, tallying 34 appearances and 12 goals. Local Calgarian soccer star Sam Adekugbe will also be a player to follow for our city, as he attempts to lighten the load on Canada’s goalkeepers by keeping the opponents’ offense at bay.
Projected success
Seeing as how 36 years have passed since Canada last appeared in an event of this magnitude, it is clear that this team will be lacking some experience, as none of them have had the chance to compete in matchups quite like these. Although this team has a number of world-class players, and heaps of individual talent, they will need to come together and rally against their opponents if they wish to make a mark at this year’s event.
Currently, Canada are very large underdogs in the tournament. A $100 bet on them to win Group F would net you $1300 in profit, while a $100 bet on them to advance past Group F would net you $210 in profit. Draftkings Sportsbook currently has Canada listed as an underdog against all three of their Group F opponents, with Morocco being the closest matchup and Belgium being the furthest spread. The future is beyond bright for this team, but only time will tell if that future is now.
