Let’s be completely honest – Canada is not regarded as a soccer nation and its international conquests have been modest at best. Despite the mostly underwhelming results on the global stage, Canadians still love this sport and support their national team passionately. Over the years, there were some unforgettable games that shaped the course of soccer history in Canada and while some of them ended in disappointment they are still worth remembering and honouring.
Let’s take a walk down the memory lane and revisit some of the biggest wins and losses that Canadian soccer team had over the previous several decades.
Greatest Wins in Canadian Soccer History
September 14th 1985 – Canada – Honduras (2-1)
We have to start with a game that lead directly to Canada’s first ever appearance at the World Cup in 1986. In the last game of the qualifiers, Canadians had to defeat a solid Honduras team and they managed to do that in a dramatic fashion. To make it even better, the match was played in St John’s in front of a friendly crowd. George Pakos gave Canada the lead in the first half, but the opponent tied it up soon thereafter. This set the stage for the historic goal in 61st minute by Igor Vrablic that gave the local fans a huge reason to celebrate the unprecedented success.
February 27th 2000 – Canada – Colombia (2-0)
The most significant triumph for the Canadian soccer program on the international stage happened at the turn of the century. The nation won its first CONCACAF Gold Cup by defeating the Colombian team in the finals staged at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. It took full 45 minutes for Canada to score with Jason DeVos finding the net. The outcome was sealed after Carlo Corazzon made a penalty kink for Canada’s second goal. The game was very tense and physical with 6 yellow cards awarded across both teams, and the Canadian manager Holger Osieck even getting ejected in the final minutes.
November 16th 2021 – Canada – Mexico (2-1)
The list of special moments in Canadian soccer history wouldn’t be complete without mentioning its second qualification for the World Cup. This time, there was no single dramatic match that decided the fate of the team, but rather a series of unexpectedly good results. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the win over the continental power Mexico, which happened in a home match played in Edmonton. Cyle Larin scored twice to give Canada the advantage, and a late goal for the Mexican side did little to change the winner. This win was instrumental in allowing Canada to match Mexico’s points total in qualifications and finish atop of the standings, earning a trip to Qatar.
A Tie Canada Can Be Proud of
June 2nd 2001 – Canada – Brazil (0-0)
While Canada’s appearance at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup was generally regarded as a disaster, there was one game where the team earned some respect. They managed to steal a point against the mighty Brazil by keeping a clean slate through the entire game. The Brazilians went on to the semifinals round, and Canada headed home with just one point earned in the tournament. As for Canada, it at least proved that it can challenge a South American legacy team, albeit without scoring against them.
Heart-breaking Losses for Canada’s Soccer Team
June 1st 1986 – Canada – France (0-1)
The opening game of the 1986 World Cup was a tough one, with Canada going against one of the best teams from Europe. The outsiders held their ground admirably for most of the game, defending against fierce attacks by the French team lead by Michelle Platini and Jean Tigana. The game was decided in the 79th minute, when Jean Pierre Papin found the net to break the hearts of the Canadian fans. This turned out to be the high point of the Canadian participation – they failed to earn a point the rest of the way, losing both remaining games against the Soviet Union and Hungary by the same result – 2:0.
November 27th 2022 – Canada – Croatia (1-4)
It took more than 35 years for Canada to return to the World Cup, but the second appearance didn’t go any better. After losing a close game to Belgium in the opening round, Canada met a very talented Croatian team that eventually won the group and finished third in the whole tournament. Alphonso Davies scored the first-ever World Cup goal for Canada just two minutes into the match, and it took Croatia more than 40 minutes to respond. Any hopes that Canadian fans were still harboring were dashed in the second half, when Croatian players scored three more times.
How You Can Bet on Big Soccer Matches in Canada?
You never know when the Canadian soccer team will have the next historic moments. By watching all the games of the national team you can witness history in the making. The Canadian market is looking busy as ever for sports betting fans who want to make some extra money off of their fandom – users are doing so, for example, at PowerPlay. It will be interesting to witness the advancement of online platforms like these in the coming years as soccer undoubtedly will maintain it’s popularity, whilst technology evolves around it in the background.
