It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for every Canadian soccer fan flooding the streets around Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Qatar as the team prepares to play its first men’s World Cup match since 1986 against Belgium.
Yet for Nick Pantemis, the journey is slightly sweeter as his son, James, was named in John Herdman’s 26-man squad as one of three goalkeepers.
The CF Montreal player was a surprise inclusion as Los Angeles FC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was ruled out of the tournament after breaking his leg.
CTV News caught up with the senior Pantemis ahead of Canada’s opening World Cup match on Wednesday, where he opened up about the sacrifices parents face and admitted there may be a few tears shed watching his son.
“To come to the World Cup was always my dream because I wanted to go to Germany or Brazil or South Africa, but it was impossible,” he said. “But to be here and my son is here, that [feeling] is, through the roof.”
“[When Canada walks out], that's when you start to get all the emotions and the buildup of speechlessness in your body and rigidness and perhaps, tears, you never know,” he said.
“I think the emotion is going to overwhelm a lot of people, especially myself. I've been watching Canada for so many years; I remember watching the 1986 team in my basement as a 19-year-old and cheering them on. But now this is going to be something so special.”
Belgium against Canada officially kicks off at 2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PST.
Watch the matches live on CTV and TSN.
