The same country that finished top of the Concacaf league table for the 2022 World Cup is the same one that is in the semi-finals of the 2024 Copa América. They are the only nation in North and Central America whose flame still burns at this moment of the tournament. It’s not the USA. It’s not Mexico either.
It’s Canada.
Although the World Cup in Qatar ended for Canada in the group stage, that tournament – and the qualifying campaign that preceded it – was the equivalent of the US’s northern neighbors pulling up their chair at the table of the country’s legitimate countries. football and sit down.
Now in the Copa América his squad shines. They have the best player in Concacaf, Alphonso Davies. In midfield there are Stephen Eustáquio, from Porto, and Ismaël Koné, who will move from Watford to Marseille this summer. Jonathan David and Cyle Larin form a dangerous partnership at the top of coach Jesse Marsch’s usual 4-2-2-2 formation.
Marsch’s influence on this Canadian team is unmistakable, despite only being hired in May. The American coach coached just six matches in his new role, leading the attack in two pre-World Cup friendlies against the Netherlands and France before his team’s group stage start with 2-0 defeat to Argentina. Canada couldn’t hold on in that match against the current world champions, but they impressed for 45 minutes. They equaled Argentina’s shot count and went into half-time tied at 0-0 before disappearing in the second half.
There’s no shame in losing against Argentina, of course. More than the obvious difference in quality between the two teams and more than the defeat itself, there was a crucial conclusion in the opening of the tournament: Canada came to play.
After the final whistle in Atlanta, Canada began a run of three positive, albeit fortunate, results. They beat 10-man Peru 1-0 to secure three points in their next match, before drawing with another 10-man team, Chile, securing second place in Group A and a place in the quarter-finals. .
They didn’t set the group stage on fire. But they had a fortunate draw, facing the weakest of the group winners, Venezuela, in the quarter-finals.
Canada was well prepared for the quarterfinals. They were the better team in a match that ended in a penalty shootout victory over Venezuela. They conceded an unfortunate second-half equalizer, but the vast majority of the game’s best chances? Those belonged to Canada. They jumped ahead with an early goal from Jacob Shaffelburg. The sequence of goals featured a set-piece throw-in and lots of strong, vertical running in the final third – hallmarks of Marsch’s high-octane tactical approach.
Crucially, there appears to be real buy-in from Canada’s players when it comes to accepting and applying their coach’s vision.
Just a few months ago, it was unclear who would guide Canada behind the scenes. John Herdman stepped down after his team’s defeat to the USA in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League final. In his place, Mauro Biello held the position for almost a year on an interim basis. Before leaving to work for Toronto FC, Herdman was careful to warn his own federation.
“I think it’s no secret that the organization has been suffering financially even during the World Cup qualifiers,” Herdman said. “We had coaches raising money to make sure we had charter flights and safety on those charter flights.”
Canada Soccer, the sport’s governing body in Canada, has been in relative financial turmoil for years. Many of the problems stem from the federation’s decision to give up part of its sponsorship rights in an agreement that could last until the end of the 2030s. With the success on the field for both the men’s and women’s teams, operating costs have soared – and the federation is linked to a long-term agreement which is stuck at $3 million a year.
The fact that things are complicated behind the scenes only adds to the spectacle of Canada’s Copa América campaign. The stars lined up with a relatively simple group and a favorable opponent in the quarterfinals. But Mexico and the US were drawn into groups they probably should have left, and failed to do so.
With a top-tier set of players and a clear belief in Marsch’s combative tactical approach, Canada can no longer be overlooked. In the absence of their regional rivals, they are able to enjoy all of Concacaf’s spotlight at this stage of the tournament. Argentina is next. Take away the surprise and we can begin to seriously consider whether the North American baton has been passed as the Canadians plan for a home World Cup in 2026.
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This is an excerpt from Football with Jonathan Wilson, the US Guardian’s weekly look at the game in Europe and beyond. With Jonathan in Germany enjoying Euro 2024, he has entrusted a series of guest writers to guide him through the Copa América. He will return on July 15th to remember the two tournaments.
