Canada’s participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was a turning point in the history of the sport in the country, according to goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
This participation, he hopes, should change the DNA of this sport in the country.
Although he missed his participation in the World Cup due to injury, Crépeau, who is currently a member of the national team, believes that Canada has a bright future on the world stage.
Crépeau sees himself as an agent of change. With a front row seat to this transformation, he sees that a new culture is taking hold in the country of the Maple Leaf. “We’re not going to hide the fact that ice hockey is our national sport, but we’re slowly changing that culture. Everything is changing in relation to our culture,” he shared in an interview with FIFA.
As the host country of the 2026 World Cup along with the United States and Mexico, Canada automatically qualifies for the event. This will be a second consecutive participation and according to Crépeau, it will then be necessary to string together participations to be considered a world power and deserve respect. “Can we qualify three or four times in a row for the World Cup? We can change the narrative, that’s our number one mission, other than focusing on 2026. Our players have understood this role for future generations.”
The 30-year-old from Greenfield Park makes no secret of the need to change perceptions. It will take time, but the good results will allow Canada to believe in it because he himself did not believe in it until very recently. Canada is still coming off a surprising run at the Copa América with a semi-final loss to world champion Argentina. “It never crossed my mind to see Canada at the World Cup because we were light years away and it’s not something that came to mind. It hit me when we started qualifying for 2022.”
Crépeau had his ticket in his pocket to play in the World Cup in Qatar, but he was slowed down by a fractured fibula three days before his departure for the MLS final. An unfortunate injury that shattered his dreams. “It was more difficult mentally the first weeks watching the matches. After the World Cup, the physical work began.”
With his sights firmly set on 2026, this time he doesn’t want to miss his chance. He promised himself he would be there, but for now, he is embracing his role as a veteran on the national team. “I know my role on the team. Sometimes you need more wisdom to manage the big moments and how to coach the new guys off the field.”
Crépeau is confident that the country will be able to take its place on the world stage, but to get there, it will need to get results against top-20 teams to move up to the next level, climb the FIFA rankings and crack the top-20. He is now counting on the management of Soccer Canada to put the players in position to move up, but to do that, according to him, it will be necessary to have meetings against powerhouses. “We have to be the best version of ourselves on a daily basis and for the federation, it will be to collect as many competitive matches as possible until the World Cup.”
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