CanMNT roster announced for September friendlies vs. Qatar, Uruguay

Canada NT

Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team have announced their squad for the upcoming September 2022 international window with matches against Qatar on Friday 23 September and Uruguay on Tuesday 27 September. This two-match preparatory series ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ provides Canada with a chance to rehearse on and off the pitch processes and systems aligned to the three-day turnarounds that Canada will experience at the FIFA World Cup™. It also provides Canada with another important opportunity to evaluate the squad for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

“Being our first trip outside of Concacaf and first games against non-Concacaf nations since the journey started back in 2018, we will learn a lot in these moments,” said John Herdman, Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Head Coach. “Both opponents present different types of tests and with the quality of Uruguay we will see and feel first-hand the intensity of that next level opponent.”

The September 2022 window provides Canada with their first away trip outside of confederation competition since before a lengthy run of competitive matches in Concacaf Nations League, the Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, in fact this marks Canada’s first away trip to Europe since March 2018. With a busy start to the 2022-23 season in Europe, the proximity of these two away international matches will also reduce travel for Canada’s professional players based in Europe.

Canada’s September matches will be broadcast live on OneSoccer, available as a linear channel on Telus’s Optik TV (Channel 980) as well as online at OneSoccer.ca, through the OneSoccer app and on the fuboTV Canada platform. The Friday match kicks off at 13.00 ET / 10.00 PT (19.00 local) while the Tuesday match kicks off at 12.00 ET / 09.00 PT (18.00 local). Fans will find extended coverage for the matches across Canada Soccer’s digital channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube featuring the hashtag #CANMNT.

CANADA SQUAD
Two players have been called into Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team for the first time in 2022: CF Montréal centre back Joel Waterman and Blackpool FC forward Theo Corbeanu. Teenager Luca Koleosho of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, meanwhile, is the youngest player in the squad after getting his first-ever call up in June.

The rest of the Canada squad features returning players from the Canada’s winning run in the 2021-22 Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Canada Soccer Players of the Year Alphonso Davies (2018, 2020, 2021) and Jonathan David (2019) are joined by recent Canada Soccer Players of the Month Steven Vitória (August), Lucas Cavallini (July), and goalkeeper Milan Borjan (May).

With 65 international appearances, Borjan of Red Star Belgrade is the most experienced international player in the September squad. Borjan is one of three goalkeepers alongside Maxime Crépeau of Los Angeles FC and Dayne St. Clair of Minnesota United FC.

Crépeau and St. Clair are two of 11 Canada players based in Major League Soccer alongside Waterman of CF Montréal and Cavallini of Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Other MLS-based players are: centre back Kamal Miller, fullback Alistair Johnston, midfielders Samuel Piette and Ismaël Koné, all from CF Montréal; and fullback Richie Laryea, midfielders Mark-Anthony Kaye and Jonathan Osorio, all from Toronto FC. Both Koné of Montréal and Corbeanu of Blackpool FC in England are just 20 years old.

Davies of FC Bayern München in Germany, midfielder Stephen Eustáquio of FC Porto in Portugal, and forwards Tajon Buchanan and Cyle Larin of Club Brugge KV in Belgium have all started the 2022-23 season in UEFA Champions League. Midfielder Liam Millar of FC Basel in Switzerland, meanwhile, has started the 2022-23 season in UEFA Europa Conference League. Millar returns to the Canada lineup after missing the last Canada camp in June with a broken arm.

Along with forward David of Lille OSC in France and centre back Vitória of GD Chaves in Portugal, other Canadians based in Europe this 2022-23 season are forward Junior Hoilett of Reading FC in England, fullback Samuel Adekugbe of Hatayspor FC in Turkey, forward Charles-Andreas Brym of FC Eindhoven in Netherlands, centre back Derek Cornelius of Panetolikos FC in Greece, centre back Scott Kennedy of SSV Jahn Regensburg in Germany, and Iké Ugbo of ES Troyes AC in France.

Unavailable for the September camp are injured players Doneil Henry of Toronto FC, Atiba Hutchinson of Beşiktaş JK and David Wotherspoon of St. Johnstone FC in Scotland.

FULL SQUAD: