By Lori Ewing
July 5 (Reuters) - Canada's record-breaking World Cup run came to an end with a 3-0 last-16 defeat by Morocco on Saturday, but the overriding feeling was not disappointment so much as optimism about what this young side has achieved for the sport in Canada.
For a team forced to navigate the tournament without talisman Alphonso Davies, Canada still smashed through barrier after barrier.
Playing coach Jesse Marsch's swashbuckling brand of football — pressing high, attacking relentlessly
and refusing to sit back against more fancied opponents — they claimed the nation's first World Cup point, first World Cup victory and first knockout-stage win.
That fearless approach, coupled with a resilience forged despite injuries and adversity, helped them push deeper into the tournament than any Canada men's side before them.
And while their eventual exit denied them a place among the world's final eight, it did little to diminish the impression they left on supporters at home and abroad, having captured the imagination of a nation along the way.
While Canada produced one of the most dominant halves in their history against Morocco with 13 touches in the opposition's box to one for the North Africans, they were left to rue chances missed.
Midfielder Stephen Eustaquio could not help but wonder whether the outcome might have been different had Davies been fit to play.
'WE MISSED OUR BEST PLAYER'
"If there's someone that can face Hakimi, it's Phonzie," he said of Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, who set up the North Africans' first goal. "We missed our best player."
Their depth was tested throughout the tournament. Davies was limited to a 15-minute cameo off the bench in the round-of-32 victory over South Africa, his only appearance of the competition.
Marsch suffered another major blow when Marcelo Flores tore his ACL days before Canada's opening match, depriving the side of one of their most creative attacking players. Matters worsened when midfielder Ismael Kone suffered a gruesome broken leg in the 6-0 thrashing of Qatar.
Flores and Kone remained with the team, hobbling through training grounds and stadiums on crutches and celebrating every milestone. Video of Kone dancing in the locker room after their South Africa win became an enduring image of Canada's run, reflecting a group that repeatedly refused to be defined by setbacks.
For years, Canada has struggled to convert its vast soccer participation numbers into sustained success on the men's side.
By contrast, the women's programme has been among the world's best for two decades, producing one of the game's greatest players in Christine Sinclair and winning Olympic gold in 2021.
LAUNCH PAD FOR FURTHER SUCCESS
But this generation of men has begun to change that narrative. Led by stars such as Davies, Jonathan David, Richie Laryea and Eustaquio, and guided by the energetic Marsch, Canada delivered the kind of breakthrough tournament many believe can serve as a launch pad for further success.
Canada were among the tournament underdogs, ranked 30th in the world and carrying a combined transfer value of about $232 million according to Transfermarkt -- with Bayern Munich's Davies accounting for 20% of that total.
That was less than half Morocco's estimated value and a fraction of giants such as France and England, who are worth well over $1 billion each.
The team's success comes at a time when investment in the game is accelerating. Earlier this week, the Canada Soccer Foundation announced that its "Canada Rising" campaign had surpassed C$25 million in gifts and commitments, reaching its original target 18 months ahead of schedule.
Launched to create a long-term legacy from Canada's World Cup hosting, the initiative aims to support youth participation, coaching development and high-performance programmes for future generations.
It also supports the national teams directly, contributing to the salaries of Marsch and women's coach Casey Stoney.
The lasting images of Canada's World Cup may have come away from the pitch: packed fan parks, record television audiences and social media buzzing with support, as the team broke beyond traditional soccer circles and commanded the attention of the wider public.
That may ultimately prove to be the most important victory of all.
The run ended in the last 16, but it left behind something Canada has often searched for and rarely found in men's soccer — genuine belief that the best is still to come.
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Toby Davis)
