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Canadian captain Paul Stalteri set the national record for appearances in 2010, taking part in his 83rd match for his home country on 7 September in Montréal, QC. Stalteri surpassed the record previously held by Randy Samuel, who made 82 appearances for Canada from 1982 to 2007.
Canadian captain Paul Stalteri set the national record for appearances in 2010, taking part in his 83rd match for his home country on 7 September in Montréal, QC. Stalteri surpassed the record previously held by Randy Samuel, who made 82 appearances for Canada from 1982 to 2007.
Stalteri made his debut for Canada on 17 August 1997 in Toronto, ON, less than two months before Samuel would make his final appearance on 12 October 1997.
Stalteri played in five of Canada’s six matches in 2010, leading the country with 450 minutes played. It marked the third time in four seasons that Stalteri led Canada in minutes played.
In 2010, Stalteri was one of 47 players called by national head coach Stephen Hart. The Canadian team posted one win, two draws and three losses in six international matches. The notable victory was the 2:1 win over Honduras at Stade Saputo in that 7 September match when Stalteri broke the record for appearances.
Also breaking a record in 2010 was Pat Onstad who set the mark for appearances by a goalkeeper on 24 May in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In front of an incredible 66,000 fans at Estadio River Plate against two-time FIFA World Cup champions Argentina, Onstad made his 57th appearance for Canada. It would mark Onstad’s last appearance as the 42-year old goalkeeper announced his retirement at the end of the calendar year.
Canada’s finest performance of the year was perhaps the 2:2 draw against Ukraine on 8 October. Canada was terrific in the first half, with goals from Simeon Jackson and Atiba Hutchinson for a 2-0 lead after 45 minutes. Canada created chances to add to its lead, but ultimately was equaled by the home side in Kyiv in the second half.
Five different players scored for Canada in six matches in 2010. Along with goals by Jackson and Hutchinson, Gavin McCallum scored on a last-minute header against Venezuela while Josh Simpson and Kevin McKenna scored in the victory over Honduras.
As for the top performer of 2010, 27-year old midfielder Atiba Hutchinson was the male selection for the 2010 Canadian Players of the Year award. Hutchinson made his 50th career appearance in the 2:2 draw with Ukraine, scoring an assist and a goal. At the club level, he split the calendar year between F.C. København in Denmark and PSV Eindhoven in Netherlands. He rounded out a stellar career in Denmark by winning the Dansk Fodbold Award as the top player in the Danish Superleague.
In the coming year, Canada will participate in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup in June. Following the biennial continental championship, Canada will begin its qualification preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Canada is a two-time CONCACAF champion, having won the confederation title in 1985 and 2000. With those victories, Canada qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico and FIFA Confederations Cup Korea/Japan 2001. Canada has also participated in three Men’s Olympic Football Tournaments 1904 as champions, 1976, and 1984.
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