Why Canada’s historic World Cup win is just the beginning

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One day after the biggest match in the history of Canadian men’s soccer, the team returned to the training pitch at the University of British Columbia as they gear up for their next task- take on Switzerland on Wednesday.

While Canada’s 6-0 rout of Qatar on Thursday, marked the first World Cup win ever for the men’s program, the decisive victory was tempered by the loss of midfielder Ismael Koné, who broke his leg during the match.

“He’s been an incredible player, maybe the best so far,” said coach Jesse Marsch when asked about Koné’s injury. “We will manage, but it won’t be easy.”

Marsch said he was proud of how his players handled the emotional weight of the day, noting it’s not easy to watch a teammate be taken off the pitch in a stretcher.

“I was really proud of the team, to feel the emotion and also stay focused on the task at hand,” he said. “In World Cup history there has never been such a dominant performance, that’s the truth.”

The landslide win came during only the third World Cup appearance for the Canadian men’s team. It’s a sign of how far the men’s program has come since the team was shut out in Qatar four years ago.

“This team checked a lot of boxes in the last couple of years. The way and fashion we did it is something that we are very proud of,” said goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, who added the team executed their game plan against Qatar.

“Step on the gas, take every opportunity, kill the game if we have to, get the first, get the second,” Crépeau said. “The two red cards made more space on the field. The mission was to get a decisive win, which we did.”

Following the match, Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the team’s dressing room, congratulating them and praising their ability to stay composed following Koné’s injury.

“You’ve shown a level of character that some people never achieve in their life,” Carney told the players.

A question going into this tournament has been whether Canada is now a footballing nation. Based on the crowd at yesterday’s match and the result on the field, the answer appears to be an emphatic “yes.”

“It was a tremendous sign,” said Bruce Kidd, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. “We don’t have to hold our breath anymore, or bite our nails. Hopefully we’ll continue to play at this level. It’s a breakthrough moment, that’s for sure,” he said.

Kidd says the win is an important marker in the growth of soccer in Canada over the last several decades.

“We’ve seen the electric performances from the women’s team. We’ve seen more and more of the mainstream media embracing soccer. This was such a glorious confirmation of all that.”

From the outset, Canada’s goal has been to win their group which would allow them to stay in Vancouver for the first match of the knockout stage. To do that, they’ll need at least a draw against Switzerland, in their final group stage match on Wednesday in Vancouver.