Canada Soccer announces squad for Men’s International Friendly Match in March

Canada Soccer have announced their squad for the upcoming Men’s International Friendly match against New Zealand on 24 March during the FIFA match window. Head Coach John Herdman will gather his squad for the one-week camp in Murcia, Spain with players arriving from their respective professional clubs as early as this Sunday.
 
Fans can watch the 24 March match live via CanadaSoccer.com kicking off at 16.00 local / 11.00 ET / 06.00 PT. In addition, exclusive behind-the scenes content will be available on Canada Soccer’s digital channels including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube from the time the team assembles in camp to their departure back to their professional environments.
 
“This match provides a great opportunity to be face to face with members of the Men’s National Team Program and establish the foundations and relationships that will align Canada’s Men’s National Team Program towards a goal of consistent winning performances,” said Herdman. “The players believe that we can do this and that with the right plan we can deliver. Our players are looking forward to making that commitment and pushing themselves to levels that they have never reached before.”
 
This marks Herdman first Men’s National Team camp and he has called in a strong mix of veteran leadership and emerging young talent. Key returning players include Milan Borjan, Atiba Hutchinson, Dejan Jaković, Samuel Piette, and Tosaint Ricketts, all with 35 or more appearances at the international level. Also included in the squad are Scott Arfield of Premier League side Burnley FC, Cyle Larin of Turkish champions Beşiktaş JK, and Jonathan Osorio of MLS Cup champions Toronto FC.
 
Hutchinson, who plays alongside Larin at Beşiktaş JK, is a six-time Canadian Player of the Year and ranks tied for fifth all-time in Canadian international appearances. After leading his club to back-to-back SuperLig titles in 2015-16 and 2016-17, he helped Beşiktaş JK reached the Round of 16 in 2017-18 UEFA Champions League action.

The squad also includes three debutants getting their first call up to the Men’s National Team: centre back Derek Cornelius, fullback Marcus Godinho, and winger Liam Millar. Cornelius, Godinho, and Millar have all come up through Canada Soccer’s national youth program, with Millar the youngest at just 18 years old.
 
The squad features players coming in from club teams in Canada, USA, and across Europe. David Edgar has his first call up to the Men’s National Team since November 2016, having missed the 2017 season through injury.
 
The March match is Canada’s first of the 2018 international season, one which will build towards a new cycle of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on the road to Qatar 2022. Taking advantage of the FIFA international window while staying in Europe where many professional players are in the crux of their 2017-18 season, Canada will have a chance to face a solid international opponent in New Zealand.
 
CANADA SQUAD
GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Blackburn Rovers
GK- Simon Thomas | NOR / FK Bodø/Glimt
CB- Derek Cornelius | SRB / FK Javor Ivanjica
CB- David Edgar | Unattached / sans club
CB- Dejan Jaković | USA / Los Angeles FC
CB- Manjrekar James | HUN / Vasas Budapest
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | NOR / Vålerenga Fotball
FB- Marcus Godinho | SCO / Heart of Midlothian FC
FB- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC
FB- Michael Petrasso | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas
M- Scott Arfield | ENG / Burnley FC
M- Jay Chapman | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Raheem Edwards | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Los Angeles FC
M- Liam Millar | ENG / Liverpool FC
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / Impact de Montréal
F- Cyle Larin | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
F- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC
 
CANADA A-Z
Player | Age | Where he grew up | Active start/first club
Adekugbe, Samuel | 23 | Calgary, AB, CAN | Manchester United Grassroots
Akindele, Tesho | 25 | Thornton, CO, USA | Mississauga
Arfield, Scott | 29 | Livingston, SCO | Murieston Boys Club
Borjan, Milan | 30 | Hamilton, ON, CAN | Radnicki JP
Chapman, Jay | 24 | Campbellford, ON, CAN | Brampton East SC
Cornelius, Derek | 20 | Ajax, ON, CAN | Ajax House League
Edgar, David | 30 | Kitchener, ON, CAN | Kitchener Minor SA
Edwards, Raheem | 22 | Toronto, ON, CAN | Erin Mills SC
Godinho, Marcus | 20 | Toronto, ON, CAN | North York Azzurri
Hutchinson, Atiba | 35 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Jaković, Dejan | 32 | Etobicoke, ON, CAN | Rexdale SC
James, Manjrekar | 24 | North York, ON, CAN | North York Azzurri
Kaye, Mark-Anthony | 23 | Toronto, ON, CAN | Wexford SC
Larin, Cyle | 22 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Leutwiler, Jayson | 28 | Neuchâtel, SUI | FC Cornaux
Millar, Liam | 18 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Brampton YSC
Morgan, Ashtone | 27 | Toronto, ON, CAN | West End United
Osorio, Jonathan | 25 | Brampton, ON, CAN | Toronto Futsal League
Petrasso, Michael | 22 | Woodbridge, ON, CAN | Kleinburg SC
Piette, Samuel | 23 | Le Gardeur, QC, CAN | Lionceaux de le Gardeur
Ricketts, Tosaint | 30 | Edmonton, AB, CAN | Edmonton Juventus
Thomas, Simon | 27 | Victoria, BC, CAN | Bays United SC
 
CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE
Canada are already looking forward to the upcoming Concacaf Nations League Qualifying competition that kicks off September 2018. Concacaf Nations League, the new national team competition platform created to maximize the match dates presented within the FIFA international calendar, features a 68-match schedule with Canada playing U.S. Virgin Islands away in September 2018, Dominica at home in October 2018, St. Kitts & Nevis away in November 2018, and French Guiana at home in March 2019.
 
The Concacaf Nations League has been created to provide an avenue for more meaningful and quality international soccer matches while uniting the Concacaf region through competition. The 2018-19 Concacaf Nations League Qualifying matches serve as a qualification route to both the next Concacaf Gold Cup in the Summer of 2019 and the respective classification groups to Concacaf Nations League in the Fall of 2019.
 
Canada are two-time Concacaf champions, having won the Concacaf Championship in 1985 and the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2000. In winning the 1985 CONCACAF Championship, Canada qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico™; in winning the 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup, Canada qualified for the FIFA Confederations Cup Korea/Japan 2001.
 
CANADA SOCCER’S WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM IN HAMILTON
Canadian soccer fans are encouraged to watch Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team live in Hamilton, Ontario on 10 June at Tim Hortons Field. The Sunday afternoon match features Canada’s Olympic bronze medalists against the Rio 2016 Olympic champions Germany. Tickets to the international match start as low as $20 (plus applicable fees) and fans can once again take advantage of a special ‘Me+3’ offer in select sections. Groups of 10+ are eligible for discounts of up to 30% off regular priced tickets.
 
For complete ticket information visit migmultidev-canada-soccer.pantheonsite.io/tickets.