World Cup prep: Canada name 27-man roster for friendlies vs. Qatar, Uruguay

With the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar roughly two months away, Canada men’s national team head coach John Herdman has named a 27-man roster that’ll play two friendlies in Europe later this month.

Canada roster for September friendlies

GOALKEEPERS (3)

DEFENDERS (9)

Richie Laryea – Toronto FC
Kamal Miller – CF Montréal
Steven Vitória – GD Chaves
Joel Waterman – CF Montréal

MIDFIELDERS (5)

FORWARDS (10)

David Junior Hoilett – Reading FC
Luca Koleosho – RCD Espanyol
Cyle Larin – Club Brugge
Liam Millar – FC Basel
Iké Ugbo – ES Troyes

Upcoming friendlies

Both Qatar (Asia) and Uruguay (South America) are World Cup-bound nations as well.

These September games mark the final international window before Group F play gets underway in November. Canada, back in their first World Cup since 1986, will face Belgium (Nov. 23), Croatia (Nov. 27) and Morocco (Dec. 1) later this fall. The top two finishers will advance to the 16-team knockout stages.

Roster notes

Herdman’s squad features 11 players from MLS, including five from CF Montréal’s Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs-bound side. Star players are in the mix, too, ranging from Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies to FC Porto’s Stephen Eustáquio.

Longtime captain Atiba Hutchinson (Beşiktaş) is absent, while 18-year-old forward Luca Koleosho (RCD Espanyol) is searching for his first senior-team cap.

“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,” Herdman said in a release. “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.”

Les Rouges are looking to move forward from a tense June window, which saw the players and federation stuck in a temporary labor-dispute impasse. Friendlies against Panama and Iran were canceled, while Concacaf Nations League games against Curacao (4-0 win) and Honduras (2-1 loss) were played.

After a 36-year wait, Canada are building toward their second-ever World Cup appearance. They topped the Concacaf Octagonal qualifying stage, finishing ahead of the United States and Mexico,

Herdman’s squad will play one more friendly in the buildup to the World Cup, meeting Japan on Nov. 17 in Dubai.

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