Team Canada 2022 World Cup Roster and Odds

It’s been nearly 40 years since Canada has qualified for the World Cup on the men’s side, but they’re set to return to soccer’s biggest stage for Qatar 2022 after finishing on top of CONCACAF qualifying.  The No. 44 ranked Canadians are pooled in a tough Group F that features world No. 2 Belgium, No. 12 Croatia (2018 World Cup runners-up) and No. 22 Morocco.

Ahead of Canada’s first World Cup match against Belgium on Nov. 23, the final 26-man roster still needs to be finalized.  Players like Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David and Cyle Larin are locks for the squad, but for the bubble players, Canada’s friendly against Bahrain on Nov. 11 is the final chance for a strong impression before the roster deadline of Nov. 14.

Make sure to check out complete World Cup betting odds for every match and Canada World Cup odds.

Forwards

Canada’s success comes from a strong attack led by 22-year-old Davies, who is already the best male soccer player in Canadian history.  Converted into a left-back by German powerhouse Bayern Munich, Davies is naturally a striker and can play anywhere in the front four or further back as his explosive speed makes him an attacking threat anywhere in the lineup.  Davies suffered a hamstring injury in Bundesliga action on Nov. 5, but his participation for Canada in the World Cup is reportedly not at risk.

The other key pieces of Canada’s attack include the seamless front two of Jonathan David, who plays for French club Lille and Cyle Larin, who plays for Club Brugge in Belgium.  David is having a strong Ligue 1 season with nine goals and three assists, trailing only Kylian Mbappe and Neymar for the goalscoring lead.  Larin was arguably Canada’s best player outside of Davies in 2021, scoring 14 goals in 13 games before adding another three this year.

Tajon Buchanan and Ike Ugbo round out the attack.  A teammate of Larin’s in Belgium, Buchanan has seen time as a wide attacker and as a wing-back for Club Brugge.  Ugbo, who made his national team debut last year, is a former Chelsea youth player who provides physicality in a substitute role.

Midfield

Head coach John Herdman is set to rely on a two-man midfield led by Stephen Eustaquio.  The 25-year-old is potentially the best CONCACAF central midfielder and he has been an impact player for Portuguese side Porto, scoring twice in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

The legendary Atiba Hutchinson will captain the team.  At 39-years-old, Hutchinson has made more national team appearances than any Canadian ever, sitting three caps shy of 100.  He likely won’t feature in the starting XI, but he still provides a secure and calm presence as a reliable veteran.

Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio should also be an impact player.  Osorio is more of an attack-driven midfielder who is great at driving the ball forward regularly.

Defenders

Sam Adekugbe, who plays his club soccer with Turkish side Hatayspor, is expected to anchor the left side of the backline.  The right side likely comes down to Alistair Johnston or Richie Laryea, depending on Herdman going with a four or five-man backline.

Other defenders that should feature for Canada include Steven Vitoria and Kamal Miller.  The 35-year-old Vitoria has featured less and less for Portugal’s Moreirense, but he has proven himself a dependable option for the national team.  CF Montreal’s Miller remains relatively untested against the highest level competition, but this could be a a breakout opportunity for the 25-year-old.

Goalkeepers

Veteran Milan Borjan will man Canada’s goal as the No. 1 option.  Borjan, who captains Serbian SuperLiga club Red Star Belgrade, is Canada’s most capped goalkeeper ever with 67 international appearances.  He’s made over 300 appearances in European leagues and the Champions League and he was a big part of Canada’s qualification success.

Originally pencilled in as a solid backup for Borjan, it was a tough break for Los Angeles FC’s Maxime Crepeau, who will miss the World Cup after breaking his leg in an MLS Cup victory on Nov. 5.  The backup role will now go to either Dayne St. Clair, James Pantemis, or Jayson Leutwiler.  St. Clair and Pantemis play for MLS sides Minnesota and CF Montreal respectively, while Leutwiler plays for Oldham Athletic in the fifth tier of the English football league system, the National League.