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‘Strongest Canadian Soccer Has Ever Looked’: Canada Roster Drop Analysis
By On Thursday morning, Canada Soccer released the full roster for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League Finals tournament, and it includes some fresh new and highly anticipated names.
Strength In (New) Numbers
With the earlier news of Daniel Jebbison and Promise David committing themselves to Canada, fans were waiting with baited breath to see if the two newly-minted forwards would make the cut for the Concacaf Nationals League Finals. Luckily for all, they made the list and will join the flight to California. On the media call surrounding the roster drop, Jesse Marsch had strong words about their call-up and its impact for the squad in general.
“I think both of these two [players] are big talents,” explained Marsch to media on Zoom. “I think they fit the way we play. Now, when you look at our overall depth of attacking options, it’s a pretty strong group.”
The pair add even more top-level European experience to this Canadian squad. Jebbison plays his football at English Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, while David plies his trade at Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium’s top division. Add Jonathan David’s and Alphonso Davies’ hot form in both domestic league and Champions League for Lille and Bayern Munich, respectively, and you have a squad that is seemingly at the height of its powers.
“We feel really excited about this group,” added Marsch. “We are really excited about the options we have at different positions, the positional flexibility, the high level talent, and the overall depth of this squad. So I think this is the strongest that the Canadian National Team has ever looked.”
With the surprise success of Copa America from last summer still buzzing in the minds of both players and supporters, the rise in talent can only spell success for Canada, and maybe even in the form of silverware later this March.
Depth A Decisive Factor For Canada
Such is the strength of Canada’s roster at this current moment, that there isn’t even enough space for some rising talents and old regulars in the squad anymore. Veterans like Kamal Miller, Junior Hoilett, and Samuel Piette have been left back home, while youngsters Nathan Saliba, Jacen Russell-Rowe, and even the in-form Jayden Nelson will have to look to make the next squad to feature for the national team. But such competition is a great thing in the eyes of Jesse Marsch.
“The good thing [for us] is that this is the hardest squad that I have had to put together, and that’s a great development for us,” explained Marsch. “It’s great that we’re leaving quality players in good form off the list right now because we have so many options.”
“That was my goal when we started this project, and it’s good that we’re already in a place where we feel we have a bigger pool than just 15-20 guys.”
The fact that Canada can call upon this bigger pool also allows Marsch to better cater his squad to what the international window demands. A decade ago, Canada called upon whoever was available that was at a relatively good level. Nowadays, the team is at a point where Marsch can tactically pick and choose his squad based on the timing of the window and the opponents he will face within it. It is a luxury that not many international teams have unless you’re at the highest level.
With familiar foes in Mexico and the United States in this Nation League Finals tournament, it will suit Marsch to be clever with his selection and hopefully be able to call upon some curveballs to get the better of his opponents.
Canada In It To Win It
This new generation has developed greatly in the short time that Jesse Marsch has been around, but one of its main and greatest features is the improved mentality of the squad. Gone are the days where merely participating is good enough. Gone are the days were scoring a goal in a competition is good enough. Under this new reign of Jesse Marsch, the only acceptable outcome to wish for is to win.
“We’re not playing in these matches with anything other than the idea that we want to win,” stressed Marsch.
“We think now that we’re in a good way, that this is a big opportunity, that the US has won this all three times. So this first match on Thursday [against Mexico], we will have to put all our energy, focus, and concentration on exactly what’s going to require [of it]. Then we can start to talk on Friday what Sunday [the Final] can look like.”
Canada haven’t lost against Mexico since the Gold Cup in 2021, while Les Rouges will relish the chance to get that grudge match against the US after their Nations League and Gold Cup loss in 2023. Both are teams that Canada, at this level, is expected to compete with if not beat, especially with how strong their squad is. The pressure will then certainly be on Marsch and co. to deliver on his promises and get Canada to take that next step before the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer.
