All Canadian soccer followers have become accustomed to watching a significantly underwhelming men’s team for a number of years.
Over the last six games of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, however, fans have earned the right to be excited with Canada finally showing the talent and desire needed to grow into a respectable soccer nation.
Consistently getting results against quality sides has shot the Canadians up 24 spots in a year to No. 48 in the FIFA World Rankings.
Being in the top 50 of the rankings has major benefits for the Canadian soccer program. For players looking to earn contracts in European nations, among other places, achieving top 50 status will significantly help Canadian players receive a visa.
The ranking, not only affects the players, it symbolizes how much growth the program has made in recent years and the rate at which this rise is taking place.
In just 2014, Canada ranked as low as 122, and growth looked like just a dream for the Canucks.
It definitely helps when you have a world class talent in Alphonso Davies, causing havoc every time he puts on the jersey.
The Bayern Munich star is arguably considered Canada’s greatest ever player at just 20 years old.
Something that the Canadians have always lacked is that one player who expresses leadership through the talent they possess. The Ghana-born winger is that player for Canada.
Davies and company are sitting in an excellent position in regards to World Cup qualification but still have plenty of work to do.
Earning a pair of 1-1 draws against group front runners, Mexico and the United States, were huge results for the Canadian side. Many didn’t expect the Canadians to pick up points.
They are now undefeated through six games and currently sit in third with two wins and four draws.
So what now? Within the eight-team group, the top three receive an automatic berth to the World Cup, with the fourth-place nation having to qualify through a playoff, which could easily be a route that the Canadians may be forced to take.
With eight games remaining, it looks the most likely scenario that Mexico and the United States secure the top two spots in the group. That leaves the Canadians battling for that third position.
This stretch of games between November and March are some of the biggest games in Canada’s small soccer history, and with the way the Canadians have been playing, positive results are expected by everyone involved.
There is still plenty of work to do, but supporters can potentially start looking at plane tickets as Canada’s chances of heading to Qatar seem to inch closer with each passing game.