Liam Millar of Canada celebrates the team’s progression to the quarter finals after the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Group A match between Canada and Chile at Exploria Stadium on June 29, in Orlando, Fla.Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images
When it was announced a year and a half ago that North American teams would participate in the Copa America for the first time, the reason provided was to “ensure football in both regions continues to thrive.”
Somehow, I think soccer in Brazil was going to be okay without Jamaica’s help.
Nobody needed to say the real reason – the imminent arrival of Lionel Messi.
Messi was about to turn the United States into soccer boom town. Everybody knew it, and they still underestimated the effect.
Everyone also understood that the boost would be temporary. Messi is 37 years old and they aren’t making any more of him. The U.S. GDP is five times that of all of South America combined. It was a unique opportunity plus that math vs. more than a century of tradition. Tradition didn’t make it out of its own corner.
It helped that putting the tournament on in the United States would act as a soft opening for World Cup 2026. Make sure none of the stadiums would fall apart under persistent foot stomping.
The agreement would look like this:
South America would provide Messi plus a bit of class; America would produce several hundred thousand hicks to buy shirts they didn’t quite grasp the significance of.
South America would beat the hell out of opponents; North America would say, ‘Thank you, señor, may I have another?’
From the South American perspective, there were a lot of reasons to fret about watering down the Copa, but none of them was fear of embarrassment.
South American soccer is the most two-fisted on the planet. Forget about balletic Brazilians coming at you with midfield pirouettes. Think more Huns coming at you on a screaming pack of Steppe ponies. Chile recently won two Copas in a row with a style that might be described as 1970s Philadelphia Flyers Extra.
North American footballers pride themselves on toughness. The world allows them to persist in this delusion because it’s kind of cute.
Now, for the first time really, America & Friends would find out what full-contact football feels like when you’re playing for real.
And it has played out just like that, but for one exception – Canada.
For a few minutes against Argentina in the opener, Canada looked like it might fluke its way into a famous win. That had its moments, until it didn’t.
The next two games against Chile and Peru were more typical of the occasion. It couldn’t have been more dour if the players had stripped off their shirts at the whistle, then stood at the centre of the park trying to wrestle each other into submission. But it’s worked. On Friday, Canada play Venezuela in the quarters.
You wouldn’t call what’s happened so far good, or watching it fun. But this is what a Copa looks like, especially in the early stages. Nobody’s trying to win. Everyone’s trying not to lose.
You’d expect Mexico, with its combo of human resources and connections south, would be best at this. Nope. They got sumo wrestled off the group-stage platform by Venezuela and Ecuador. This is a special humiliation for them, and a terrible psychic setup for 2026.
The U.S. expected to look good, if not exactly perform well. Same story. As of this writing, it was a defeat to Uruguay – the most explosive team in the tournament so far – away from elimination.
When America was putting together its application to play host to the World Cup a decade ago, it must have fantasized about the shock to come. The world was changing, but America would reassert its dominance by winning at a sport it didn’t even care about. That would grind gears in Moscow in a way trade blockades never could.
That dream is rubbing up against reality this summer. If America can be beaten by Panama, then who can’t it lose to? If it is out by Saturday, it will find itself in a Joe Biden/Democratic Party situation – no choice but to try something radically different, having left it too late to expect any major change to turn out well.
By Tuesday night, Canada could be the only North American side left standing. From World Cup burnout to continental standard bearer in the space of 20 months – not too shabby.
The reason this country bombed out so badly at Qatar 2022 wasn’t the results. It lost all three games, but it lost them to two eventual semi-finalists (Croatia and Morocco) plus the then-No. 2-ranked team in the world (Belgium).
It was the way Canada lost that was the problem. It couldn’t adapt. It never settled. Good teams ease into major tournaments. Canada arrived on the threshold of nervous hysteria and got more wound up as the days passed.
The less it adapted, the louder it talked and the more ridiculous it seemed. Then manager John Herdman’s decision to crudely insult Croatia – then gleefully repeat the insult when asked about it – ought to be studied in war college. It is a textbook example of reverse gamesmanship.
Canada’s problem wasn’t talent, or the federation that runs it, or how much the players are paid, or even coaching as such. It was approach.
When you don’t have a Messi on your side, you don’t get to dictate how the game is played. You also don’t get to come into the room shouting and expect people to make way. There is confident and there is cocky. Two years ago, Canada was the wrong one.
You wouldn’t call the Canada team we’ve seen over the past two weeks confident, exactly. It hasn’t been particularly well organized, and it certainly hasn’t been fluid. At best, it has trod water.
The word to describe Canada after three games is adaptive. In international soccer, and South American-style international soccer in particular, there is no higher praise.
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
