FIFA World Cup: Canada’s tough opponents

Canada will not have the easiest path to the 2022 World Cup, being in Group F with Belgium, Morocco and Croatia.

• Read also: FIFA Rankings: The Fall of Canada

This is a tough group because the Red Devils are second in the FIFA rankings. Croatia occupies 16^{And the} Rank and Morocco 24^{And the}. Canada ranks 38th in the world.

“This group is amazing. We wanted those kinds of matches. “When you are at the World Cup, there is no easy match,” coach John Herdman said in a video conference, a few minutes after the draw.

“It’s not an easy group of course, but in the World Cup there is no easy group,” Samuel Peet later added. Belgium, Croatia and Morocco are not Curaçao. »

not easy

After the euphoria, there really is a totally uncomfortable group with very good picks and especially a match against Belgium as the way to raise the curtain. But Canadians will not go to Qatar as tourists.

“The ambition is to get out of the group. We know it’s difficult, but I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be possible or feasible,” Peet insisted.

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With their first World Cup participation since 1986, Canada is clearly not the favorite in this group F.

“Without saying we have nothing to lose, we would almost certainly be the neglected team, and I have no problem with that,” Peet confirmed. If we take people lightly, I don’t have a problem with that.

“If we can create a surprise against Belgium in the first match, that can send a message for the rest of the tournament.”

patience

We had to be patient to find out the fate of Canada. At first there were presentations that never ended, with the first ball revealed 48 minutes after the start of the draw.

Canadian Ball was the last ball out of the hat, so Canada ended up in the only group where there was still a place.

“We’ve been waiting since noon, and we’ve been waiting so long. It’s a little crazy to finally be released. We made the suspense go until the end,” said Peet.

Canada will play its first match on November 23 against Belgium. He will continue the match against Croatia on November 27 and finish in the group stage against Morocco on November 1.^Verse Dec.

concrete

As a reminder, Canada qualified for the World Cup by defeating Jamaica 4-0 at BMO Field in Toronto last Sunday.

But it remained a bit abstract in everyone’s mind. This drawing changed everything.

“As a Canadian or a football fan, knowing your country’s name on one of the hats and waiting for it to show up is crazy,” Herdman said with his trademark enthusiasm.

“Seeing him come out makes it real. We are going to Qatar, we have a good team, and it is a great opportunity for us and the country.”

Belgian sector

Montreal Canadians players followed the draw in the stands where the team meets in video sessions.

And with them in particular was the Belgian sports director Olivier Renard. In the coaching staff, there is also Laurent Seaman who, although based in Canada, is also Belgian.

“Laurent is a former player in the Belgium squad so he wouldn’t be too torn, he would definitely take to Belgium,” advanced Peet, noting that Seaman had respect for Canada.

“Before the draw, he told me he hoped we wouldn’t be in the same group, so he knows our quality.”

Before hanging up, Piette allowed himself to joke about his athletic director and his intentions at the Canada-Belgium meeting.

“I don’t think Olivier is going to set us free,” he said with a laugh.

Groups in the World Cup 2022

Group A:

• Qatar
• Ecuador
• Senegal
• Holland

Group B:

• England
• Iran
• United State
• European barrage (Wales, Ukraine or Scotland)

Group C:

• Argentina
• Saudi Arab
• Mexico
• Poland

Group D:

• France
• Intercontinental Barrage 1 (Peru, Australia or United Arab Emirates)
• Denmark
• Tunisia

Group E:

• Spain
• Intercontinental Barrage 2 (Costa Rica or New Zealand)
• Germany
• Japan

Sixth group:

• Belgium
• Canada
• The Kingdom of Morocco
• Croatia

Group G:

• Brazil
• Serbia
• Swiss
• Cameroon

Group H:

• Portugal
• Ghana
• Uruguay
• South Korea