Canada to face Belgium, Croatia and Morocco in opening round at World Cup

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This article was published 01/04/2022 (1632 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was a surreal moment for John Herdman and Canadian soccer fans alike, watching Friday’s World Cup draw and waiting for the country’s name to be called.

“To have our team pulled out (of a pot), and just to see that this is real, Canada’s on the big stage now,” Herdman said.

There was relative optimism after Canada landed in Group F with the last ball drawn, which means it will face world No. 2 Belgium, No. 16 Croatia and No. 24 Morocco.

It’s a tough test, no doubt. Only one team from the final pot of the 2018 World Cup draw advanced to the knockout rounds that year. But Herdman called Canada’s group “brilliant.”

“We’re not just heading to Qatar, we’re ready to play in Qatar,” he said. “We know the teams we’ve got and we’ve got a wonderful opportunity ahead of us.”

There is a chance for Canada to surprise in Group F, despite stiff competition from all three teams. And with the Canadians reaching the World Cup one cycle before they were expected to, opportunity is all they are looking for — a shot at the country’s first World Cup goal and maybe its first World Cup win. Causing some sort of upset in the group and advancing to the tournament’s round of 16 is within the realm of possibilities.

The biggest question for Canada at Qatar will be how far both Belgium and Croatia have fallen off since 2018, when they finished third and second behind France. The match against Morocco is Canada’s best shot at getting a win, but it’s getting a result against one of the group’s big two that will likely decide whether or not Canada advances.

The sides are similar to the ones that got Belgium and Croatia so close to World Cup glory four years ago. The Belgians are still reliant on Kevin De Bruyne, 30 and Romelu Lukaku, 28. And while midfielder Eden Hazard, 31, is no longer as important to the team as his younger brother, winger Thorgan Hazard, 29, he will still be a wild card, with the ability to change a game for his country.

Midfielder Luka Modric, 36, remains the heartbeat of the Croatian team, whose link-up play with Ivan Perisic is the juggernaut behind the country’s attack.

All are world-class players, with similarly talented teammates, and have much World Cup and European Championship experience to draw from. But they are no longer in their prime, which could make a youthful and exuberant team like Canada threatening.

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“You’re going to a World Cup, there’s no easy matches,” Herdman said. “I think any team can beat any team on a given day, that’s just tournament football. This is what we want, we want that underdog story. I think we’ll be at our best when we rely on our grit, our spirit.”

Herdman’s team grew comfortable sitting back, absorbing pressure and attacking on the counter during its qualification run. With the likes of Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan and Richard Laryea working in transition, Canada’s opponents will need to maintain their stamina through the final whistle to avoid making a costly mistake. Canada has the offensive weapons to capitalize, if given the chance.

Herdman hopes to prepare for Qatar with a friendly at home in June, before CONCACAF Nations League play begins. He also expects the team to head to Europe in the fall in what he calls a critical step for a team that needs to see European style soccer before it faces two UEFA sides in Qatar.

“We’ve had to play CONCACAF opponents for the last four years on this never-ending World Cup qualification scheme,” Herdman said, “which has starved us of the chance to play against the De Bruynes and help these players really understand what that level looks and feels like.”

Laura Armstrong is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @lauraarmy