Soccer
As a kid, my memories of the FIFA World Cup were all about other countries. That’s just the way things were in Canada for decades.
Before we topped Concacaf qualifying in 2022, Canada hadn’t played at the tournament since 1986. So our experiences were about where our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents were from. And Canada is such a multicultural place, a true mosaic, so there was no shortage of ways to experience a World Cup.
For instance, my dad is from Trinidad & Tobago. When they made the 2006 World Cup in Germany, I finally felt like I had a team I could support, rather than just picking the best team or best player. I felt represented.
Then there are memories like my middle-school teacher, who was Italian. He would let us watch Italy’s games and have that experience as a class. Or how people would drive around with their national team’s flag on their car – Portugal, Ghana, France, England… you name it.
That’s what I hope we can change this summer, to show kids in Canada that they can play in a World Cup – as Canadians. They don’t have to experience it through other countries. They can dream and feel truly represented, like we belong.
As a team, I think we planted those seeds in 2022. The qualification process was challenging due to COVID restrictions, but we found a way. I remember Nike didn’t even have a new jersey for us because there wasn’t an expectation that we’d be in Qatar – but we reintroduced Canadian soccer on the global stage.
We had some really strong performances, especially that Belgium game, where you now see expectations shift. We went from not being at a World Cup for 36 years, to showing we can play with some of the best countries in the world, to co-hosting and fans expecting us to make it out of the group before going on a run.
That tells me there’s a new reality and standard we’ve set for our country. It also tells me future generations will see us this summer, playing in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, and want to be like us one day.
How many kids will want to be blazing fast like Alphonso Davies? What about scoring goals like Jonathan David? Playing passes like Ismaël Koné? Making saves like Dayne St. Clair? They’ll see themselves in us and imagine what’s possible.
It also brings me back to when I was a kid, growing up outside of Toronto and dreaming big. I started by juggling a balloon instead of a soccer ball. As I got older, my dad and I would go to a nearby field and do drills he found on YouTube. At home, we had a cooler in our basement, and I would do step-ups to help strengthen my legs. I even remember going to a random patch of grass, anywhere really, just to get extra touches in. At recess, I’d play soccer all the time and wear my indoor shoes from the winter season down to nothing. I couldn’t get enough.
What I’m saying is that for kids across Canada, it’s possible. You can wear the red and white at the World Cup. You don’t just have to watch the countries your family comes from.
Allow yourself to dream. Leverage the pathways that were created by those before you, but don’t be afraid to create your own path. Keep working hard. Enjoy every second. And who knows, maybe you’ll play at the World Cup one day.
Read MoreTomi Grumbles