TEAM CANADA’S 26-MAN WORLD CUP ROSTER REVEALED

2022-11-16 · 5 min read · FIFA World Cup/Soccer
Canada Soccer Men and head coach John Herdman

Getty Images via Sporting News | Canada Soccer Twitter @CanadaSoccerEN

Canadian head coach John Herdman on Sunday announced the 26-player roster that will represent the country in its first men's FIFA World Cup since 1986.
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies and Lille's Jonathan David are the headliners for Qatar, with Porto's Stephen Eustáquio and Club Brugge's Cyle Larin among the other key players. Besides the group, the 41st-ranked team boasts plenty of firepower up front in Tajon Buchanan, Junior Hoilett, Lucas Cavallini, Liam Millar and Ike Ugbo. The Canada roster includes 11 Major League Soccer players, including six from CF Montréal, three from Toronto FC and one from the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Fears that Davies, Canada's most dynamic player, might miss the World Cup after picking up a hamstring injury have subsided. The 22-year-old missed Bayern's last two Bundesliga games after sustaining the injury earlier this month. Davies has played 34 times and scored 12 goals for Canada, who are returning to the World Cup for the first time in 36 years.
Atiba Hutchinson, a 39-year-old midfielder and Canada's captain, was the only player on the roster alive during Canada's last World Cup appearance in 1986. Hutchinson made his first appearance of the season for Turkey's Beşiktaş on Wednesday after recovering from a bone bruise when he started a Turkish Cup match against Serik Belediyespor and played until the 70th minute.
Canadian defender Doneil Henry will miss out on the tournament after an injury suffered in the warmup before Friday's 2-2 tie with Bahrain. The 29-year-old Henry, who has won 44 caps for Canada, was to have captained Canada in Manama.
There were no other surprises for Herdman, who used 33 players in the final of CONCACAF qualifying with 28 seeing action. Some decisions had already been made for him. Defender Scott Kennedy (SSV Jahn Regensburg, Germany) and goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau (Los Angeles FC, MLS) were ruled out through injury earlier this month, with Kennedy sidelined by a shoulder issue and Crepeau requiring surgery to repair a leg broken in the MLS Cup final. Because of Henry's injury, Hutchinson could see time in central defence rather than midfield. Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio also made it into the squad after seeing just 18 minutes of Major League Soccer action since Aug. 18 due to post-concussion syndrome. But he played the full match in Bahrain.
While Herdman only named seven defenders, he has wingback options in Alphonso Davies, Tajon Buchanan and Junior Hoilett if needed alongside his preferred back three.
The Canadians secured their ticket to Qatar with a 4-0 win over Jamaica in March at Toronto's BMO Field with one game to spare. They finished with a 14-2-4 record across three rounds of qualifying in the region, outscoring the opposition 54-8. Herdman's team topped the final Octagonal round-robin with an 8-2-4 record.
Here is a full run-down of who will be representing Canada in Qatar.
Goalkeepers
Milan Borjan (Red Star Belgrade — Serbia), James Pantemis (CF Montréal) and Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United).
Defenders
Alistair Johnston (CF Montréal), Derek Cornelius (Panetolikos — Greece), Richie Laryea (Toronto FC), Sam Adekugbe (Hatayspor — Turkey), Steven Vitória (Chaves - Portugal), Kamal Miller (CF Montréal) and Joel Waterman (CF Montréal).
Midfielders
Stephen Eustáquio (Porto — Portugal), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Atiba Hutchinson (Beşiktaş J.K.), Mark-Anthony Kaye (Toronto FC), Samuel Piette (CF Montréal), Liam Fraser (K.M.S.K. Deinze — Belgium), Ismaël Koné (CF Montréal) and David Wotherspoon (St Johnstone F.C. — Scotland).
Forwards
Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich — Germany), Jonathan David (Lille — France) and Cyle Larin (Club Brugge — Belgium), Tajon Buchanan (Club Brugge — Belgium), Lucas Cavallini (Vancouver Whitecaps), Junior Hoilett (Reading F.C. — England), and Ike Ugbo (ES Troyes AC — France).
Canada plays a final tune-up game Thursday against No. 24 Japan in Dubai and returns to Doha after the game.
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By: Aaron Cantin

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