Soccr

904 Words2 Pages

Canada boasts both female and male national teams for soccer. However, only one of those teams has shown success in recent years while the other one has little to no success at all. The female Canadian National team have become a success story in Canada and their fame really exploded following the 2012 London summer Olympic games. It was the first time Canada has won any traditional team medals since winning silver at the 1936 games (SOURCE). Currently the Canadian women are ranked 7th according to the FIFA ranking and have always been successful in the World cup. They have also won multiple medals in both CONCACAF and the PanAmerican games.
When we look at the men’s team however things are not looking very good for them. Having no success other then winning the CONCACAF gold cup in 2000, the men have failed to qualify to the World Cup since 1986. Furthermore, the men are ranked 112th in the world and are behind countries according to the FIFA standings like Punta Cana and Haiti.
The failure of the men’s team can be attributed to multiple factors however one factor stands out more then others. Most of the great talent that Canada breeds end up leaving to play for their country of origin rather then playing for the country that has raised them, Canada. The most prolific example of this type of behaviour was with Owen Hargreaves. He was born and raised in Calgary however his father was English, Hargreaves was a great talent and instead of choosing to play for Canada he decided to represent England. In 2006 he was rated one of the best players to play in the World Cup that year while also receiving English Player of the year award.
A great article written by Jared Mercer called, The State Of Canadian Soccer Defectors, essentially...

... middle of paper ...

...ayed a strong role in the increase of soccer participation as 1 in every 5 Canadians now is a visible minority and with soccer being the most played sport worldwide many are bringing this sport culture to Canada. Moreover, the hosting of international events has led to an increase in media exposure that has allowed more Canadians to experience professional soccer either on TV or at a stadium. The expansion of the MLS has given Canadians a chance to enjoy soccer at their front door and with European stars making their way to NA the league has been truly put on the map and has increased in popularity and viewership. As a Canadian, one must wonder what will the Canadian sport culture look like in the future. With immigration rising and soccer gaining popularity with the general public will the “beautiful game” as it is known around the world one day be Canada’s game.

More about Soccr

Open Document