Given that it is highly likely (if not 100%) that we will play in the 2026 WC, I for one am left wondering how competitive will we be? Will we be good enough to get our first WC goal, or even result? Make it past the first round? There's no way we can know what our squad will look like. Many of our potential players are as young as 10 years old right now. But I thought I'd make a list of current CMNT players who could potentially be there (by that I mean anyone who is 25 or younger. Some slightly older players could possibly be there, but I had to cut it off somewhere. So here's the list I put together of everyone 25 and under who played for the CMNT in the last year: GK James Pantemis February 21, 1997 (age 21) Montreal Impact GK Maxime Crépeau April 11, 1994 (age 24) Ottawa Fury DF Manjrekar James August 5, 1993 (age 24) Fredericia DF Michael Petrasso July 9, 1995 (age 22) Montreal Impact DF Sam Adekugbe January 16, 1995 (age 23) Vålerenga DF Marcus Godinho June 28, 1997 (age 20) Heart of Midlothian DF Derek Cornelius November 25, 1997 (age 20) Javor Ivanjica DF Juan Córdova June 25, 1995 (age 22) Huachipato DF Kwame Awuah December 12, 1995 (age 22) New York City FC DF Amer Didic December 28, 1994 (age 23) Sporting Kansas City DF Andrés Fresenga October 13, 1992 (age 25) Suchitepéquez DF Tyler Pasher April 27, 1994 (age 24) Indy Eleven MF Samuel Piette November 12, 1994 (age 23) Montreal Impact MF Mark-Anthony Kaye December 2, 1994 (age 23) Los Angeles FC MF Raheem Edwards July 17, 1995 (age 22) Montreal Impact MF Jay Chapman January 1, 1994 (age 24) Toronto FC MF Liam Millar September 27, 1999 (age 18) Liverpool MF Kris Twardek March 8, 1997 (age 21) Carlisle United MF Liam Fraser February 13, 1998 (age 20) Toronto FC MF Fraser Aird February 2, 1995 (age 23) Dundee United MF Keven Alemán March 25, 1994 (age 24) Sacramento Republic MF Louis Béland-Goyette September 15, 1995 (age 22) Montreal Impact MF Caniggia Elva July 14, 1996 (age 21) VfB Stuttgart II MF Jordan Schweitzer April 19, 1994 (age 24) Colorado Springs Switchbacks MF Alphonso Davies November 2, 2000 (age 17) Vancouver Whitecaps FC MF David Choinière February 7, 1997 (age 21) Montreal Impact MF Russell Teibert December 22, 1992 (age 25) Vancouver Whitecaps FC MF Marco Bustos April 22, 1996 (age 22) Zacatepec MF Kianz Froese April 16, 1996 (age 22) Fortuna Düsseldorf MF Nicolas Galvis April 9, 1997 (age 21) Deportivo Pereira FW Cyle Larin April 17, 1995 (age 23) Beşiktaş FW Anthony Jackson-Hamel August 3, 1993 (age 24) Montreal Impact FW Lucas Cavallini December 28, 1992 (age 25) Puebla It will be interesting, I think at least, to see who is still on this list and who gets added, and how the overall quality grows (or doesn't)
Many of us who have watched the national team for years are no doubt pleased to see how many options our coach has. We can remember the years when the lineup pretty much wrote itself because there'd only be one decent player at many positions. It is encouraging to know that there's an even bigger wave of players ready to enter the system. That said, and as you've acknowledged, there's no way to judge now what our team will be like or how far we will go eight years from now.
I'm thinking of reproducing the above list every year with players born 1992 or later to see how well we're progressing. Compare with 1986, when we had a mere 6 players who played in a full pitch professional league, with 10 players playing indoor, 3 non-professionals and 4 players from the legendary Unattached FC.
Honestly, I think Canada has a good shot of making the knockout stage. As host team it will probably get seeded in the first pot, and I think they will be good enough to beat the teams allocated to the third pot, unless they're European.
Canada will not be at 2026 world cup as its still not decided which country will be the host country and its not fair ti have mire then one country get automatic spot..we would not be competitive..like losing every hame without scoring a goal again.
With the increase in WC teams from 32 to 48 Canada could qualify on it's own, without the automatic host berth. Although my guess is they will award the host spots to all three, for a couple of reasons. They want to encourage multiple host bids because at 48 teams, not too many countries will be willing or able to host on their own, and CONCACAF will go from 3 to 6 berths, and from 1 to 2 playoff berths. So the other countries will still have gained one more spot, even with 3 taken by the 3 hosts.
David, Millar, Tabla, Davis will be hitting their prime up front while Cavallini and Larin should still be around. We got 7 years to replenish our defense corps which outside of Brault-Guillard, Godihno Cornelius and maybe Legault is simply not good enough. Hoping for Tomori to join. If we get Eustaquio, we have good options at DM with Piette. For the mid, I think players will emerge from Academies (CPL or MLS) Herdman's objective is getting out of groups stage. I think it's doable by 2026.
You're obviously not paying attention to the significantly increased talent levels Canada is producing. And the CPL will help. You are aware things HAVE changed since 1986.
If you were talking about the Round of 16, I would say unlikely enough that it shouldn't be an announced goal. The Round of 32 after a 48 team Group Stage is possible.
I remember 1994 when the US had no league and were hosting the World Cup, the US got out of the group. It's his objective and that's a good thing that he has high expectations of the program. The culture has changed and participation is no longer good enough. Excellence and winning is what's expected of the players.
The USMNT kind of made its own club. In between Gold Cup 1993 and World Cup 1994, the US played 25 friendlies. They played 8 friendlies in the three months before their first World Cup game
We wont be there..fifa should go with one host usa since it really is there tournament..hiw goid will be be? Stilk god awlful and still. Not competitive..