Canada Soccers Mens National Team have announced their squad for the upcoming series of three international matches in June including the 2022-23 edition of Concacaf Nations League. Bringing the team back together for the first time since qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Canada will play both an international match and Concacaf Nations League match at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia before traveling to San Pedro Sula, Honduras for their second match in Concacaf Nations League.
These are three opportunities to take steps forward with this group of players in preparation for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, said John Herdman, Canada Soccers Mens National Team Head Coach. Every minute together is crucial as we prepare to work collectively to give us the best chance to perform against some of the worlds best on the biggest stage.
Tickets to both matches are still available via Ticketmaster.ca. The special two-match pack offers fans the opportunity to save on ticket service fees and secure the same seat for both Canada matches at BC Place. In addition, two-match packs are the only way to access lower bowl seating for the Canada v Iran match with individual match tickets now only available in the upper bowl. For complete ticketing information visit canadasoccer.com.
All three June matches will air live on OneSoccer, available as a linear channel on Teluss Optik TV (Channel 980) as well as online at OneSoccer.ca, through the OneSoccer app and on the fuboTV Canada platform. Fans will find extended coverage across Canada Soccers digital channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube featuring the hashtag #CANMNT.
There isnt a minute that can be wasted in this moment. Our group of players that competed across 20 matches as part of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers created a foundation of trust, belief, and confidence in each other, so bringing them together and continuing to find that next level will be key to our success in Qatar.
This is the second edition of Concacaf Nations League which also serves as direct qualification to the Concacaf Gold Cup. From Concacaf Nations League A, the top two teams in Canadas group will qualify for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup while the last-place team will be relegated to Concacaf Nations League B and further qualification matches for the Concacaf Gold Cup. Along with these two matches in June, the three nations will face each other once again in March 2023 when Canada hosts Honduras and travels to Curaao.
While Canada are one of 29 nations that have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the last three nations will qualify through European and intercontinental FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June. Beyond these June matches, the last two windows on the 2022 Mens International Match Calendar run 19 to 27 September and then 21 November to 18 December for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
“There are some areas in the team that we would like to strengthen prior to Qatar, said Herdman. We are looking to assess specific profiles of players that can contribute to our tactical approach against tier-one opponents.”
CANADA SQUAD
The Canada squad features plenty of familiar faces that helped Canada finish at the top of the table in the Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Included in the squad are five veterans with 50 or more appearances: goalkeeper Milan Borjan of Red Star Belgrade in Serbia, midfielder Jonathan Osorio from Toronto FC, midfielder Samuel Piette from CF Montral, and midfielder Atiba Hutchinson and forward Cyle Larin from Beikta JK in Turkey.
Returning to the squad in 2022 is Raheem Edwards from Los Angeles Galaxy while new to the Mens National Team Program is teenager Luca Koleosho from RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. Edwards has been amongst the MLS leaders in assists across the early part of 2022 while Koleosho recently made his La Liga debut in the season finale on 22 May against Granada CF.
All the other players in Canadas June squad featured through FIFA World Cup Qualifiers from March 2021 to March 2022, including recent Canada Soccer Players of the Year Jonathan David from Lille OSC in France and Alphonso Davies from title-winning FC Bayern Munich in Germany. Along with Davies (Bundesliga) and Borjan (Serbian SuperLiga), Tajon Buchanan from Club Brugge KV (Championnat de Belgique) and Stephen Eustquio from FC Porto (Primeira Liga and Taa de Portugal) are two more recent trophy winners joining the Canada squad in British Columbia.
Other Canadian players from European-based clubs who have just wrapped up their 2021-22 season are Samuel Adekugbe from Hatayspor FC in Turkey, Charles-Andreas Brym from FC Eindhoven in Netherlands, Junior Hoilett from Reading FC in England, Scott Kennedy from SSV Jahn Regensburg in Germany, Richie Laryea from Nottingham Forest FC In England, Ik Ugbo from ES Troyes AC in France, and Steven Vitria from Moreirense FC in Portugal.
Along with Osorio and Piette, the three other players competing in the 2022 Canadian Championship and Major League Soccer are Lucas Cavallini from Vancouver Whitecaps FC and both Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller from CF Montral. Other players from Major League Soccer are Maxime Crpeau and Doneil Henry from Los Angeles FC, Mark-Anthony Kaye from Colorado Rapids, and Dayne St. Clair from Minnesota United FC.
CanadaRED MEMBERSHIP
Becoming a CanadaRED member is the best way for Canadian supporters to ensure an inside track on fan promotions, advance access to National Team home matches, and the latest information on Canada Soccer activity. Visit canadasoccer.com for more information on the CanadaRED fan membership program and register to become an official member of Canadas growing soccer movement.
CANADA SOCCERS MENS NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM
Canada Soccers Mens National Team are the reigning Kings of Concacaf, having finished first overall in the Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers from September 2021 to March 2022. It marked the third time that Canada Soccers Mens National Team won a Concacaf title, having previously won the 1985 Concacaf Championship and the 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup. Canada now look forward to their second participation at the FIFA World Cup with group matches against Belgium on 23 November, Croatia on 27 November, and Morocco on 1 December.
CANADA
GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Maxime Crpeau | USA / Los Angeles FC
GK- Dayne St. Clair | USA / Minnesota United FC
CB- Doneil Henry | USA / Los Angeles FC
CB- Scott Kennedy | GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
CB- Kamal Miller | CAN / CF Montral
CB- Steven Vitria | POR / Moreirense FC
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | TUR / Hatayspor FC
FB- Alistair Johnston | CAN / CF Montral
FB- Richie Laryea | ENG / Nottingham Forest FC
M- Raheem Edwards | USA / LA Galaxy
M- Stephen Eustquio | POR / FC Porto
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beikta JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Colorado Rapids
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / CF Montral
F- Charles-Andreas Brym | NED / FC Eindhoven
F- Tajon Buchanan | BEL / Club Brugge KV
F- Lucas Cavallini | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F- Alphonso Davies | GER / FC Bayern Mnchen
F- David Junior Hoilett | ENG / Reading FC
F- Luca Koleosho | ESP / RCD Espanyol
F- Cyle Larin | TUR / Beikta JK
F- Ik Ugbo | FRA / ES Troyes AC
CANADA A-Z
Adekugbe, Samuel | 27 | Calgary, AB, CAN | Manchester United Grassroots
Borjan, Milan | 34 | Hamilton, ON, CAN | Radnicki JP
Brym, Charles-Andreas | 23 | Saguenay, QC, CAN | CS Jonquire (Mistral)
Buchanan, Tajon | 23 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Cavallini, Lucas | 29 | Mississauga, ON, CAN | Club Uruguay Toronto
Crpeau, Maxime | 28 | Candiac, QC, CAN | Ligue de soccer pour enfants de Candiac
David, Jonathan | 22 | Ottawa, ON, CAN | Gloucester Dragons
Davies, Alphonso | 21 | Edmonton, AB, CAN | Edmonton Inter
Edwards, Raheem | 26 | Toronto, ON, CAN | Erin Mills SC
Eustquio, Stephen | 25 | Leamington, ON, CAN | Leamington Minor Soccer
Henry, Doneil | 29 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Hoilett, David Junior | 32 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Mississauga SC
Hutchinson, Atiba | 39 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Johnston, Alistair | 23 | Aurora, ON, CAN | Lakeshore SC
Kaye, Mark-Anthony | 27 | Toronto, ON, CAN | Wexford SC
Kennedy, Scott | 25 | Calgary, AB, CAN | Calgary West SC
Koleosho, Luca | 17 | Barcelona, ESP
Larin, Cyle | 27 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Laryea, Richie | 27 | Toronto, ON, CAN | Club Uruguay Toronto
Miller, Kamal | 25 | Scarborough, ON, CAN | Malvern SC
Osorio, Jonathan | 29 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Toronto Futsal League
Piette, Samuel | 27 | Le Gardeur, QC, CAN | Lionceaux de le Gardeur
St. Clair, Dayne | 25 | Pickering, ON, CAN | Ephinay Church Soccer League
Ugbo, Ik | 23 | London, ENG | Brampton East SC
Vitria, Steven | 35 | Sudbury & Mississauga, ON, CAN | Sudbury Lions