Canada’s rise to football legitimacy culminated in a 4-0 win over Jamaica on Sunday, securing Herdman’s side a place in the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
It’s only the second time Canada has appeared in a Men’s World Cup after losing every game in the 1986 finals, but expectations are high this time around.
“The sky is the limit. I think we will continue to get better and better and better,” said midfielder Atiba Hutchinson, a 39-year-old veteran of the Canadian team.
“We will be ready to go there for the World Cup and really put ourselves on the map,” Hutchinson added. “We have a lot of confidence and we think we can do well.”
Sunday’s victory in Toronto came thanks to first half goals from Cyle Larin and Tajon Buchanan, a sharp end from Junior Hoilett in the second half and an own goal from Adrian Mariappa from Jamaica.
It was enough to seal Canada’s place in the World Cup with a qualifier – against Panama on Thursday – to still play, as well as gain the approval of Prime Minister Justin Trinto, who wrote his congratulations on Twitter.
Canada leads the CONCACAF qualifying group by 28 points ahead of the United States and Mexico by 25.
The top three teams automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the fourth – currently Costa Rica – must claim the intercontinental playoffs in a bid to win a place in Qatar.
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The 21-year-old Davis – who has won the Champions League and a number of home trophies with Bayern Munich in Germany – has been out of action since January as he recovers from an inflammatory heart condition after contracting Covid-19, but broadcast live his tearful reaction to Canada’s game against Jamaica.
David has scored 26 league goals in 66 games for Lille and helped the French team win the Ligue 1 title last year, while Buchanan recently signed for Belgian club Clue Brugge.
At Larin, Canada also has the country’s top scorer in international men’s football with 24 goals, while Hutchinson holds the record for most appearances with 94, according to Canada Soccer.
“Look, Canada can,” said Herdman, who took over the men’s team in 2018, having previously coached Canadian women.
“We have Davis playing Champions League finals, we have players playing all over Europe, we have kids going through the system and we just qualified for a World Cup.”
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Under Herdman, Canada has risen to the top of the FIFA men’s rankings and is currently 33rd in the world – the highest position he has ever held.
“I told these boys in the beginning, we have to give this country something to believe in,” Herdman said. “They lost hope, they lost faith, but now we are a football country and everyone knows it.”
In recent years, Canada has strengthened its credentials as a football nation.
The women’s team won the first Olympic gold medal with the victory against Sweden in Tokyo last year and in 2018 Canada was selected to host the 2026 World Cup along with the USA and Mexico.
Having hosted the women’s tournament in 2015, it will be the first time Canada has hosted the Men’s World Cup.
After the last qualifying match against Panama on Thursday, Canada will know its opponents in Qatar 2022 on Friday, when the groups are drawn in Doha. then, when the tournament starts on November 21, he will finally be able to announce his presence in the football elite.
