The Canadian men’s national team announced its roster for the first three World Cup qualifying matches in September on Thursday.

Canada will play two matches at BMO Field in Toronto – Honduras on Sept. 2 and El Salvador on Seept. 8. The team will visit the USA in Nashville, Tenn. Sept. 5.

“These men know they have a great opportunity to play in front of our fans for the first time in nearly two years, but more importantly the chance to get our campaign off to a great start in the next round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers,” head coach John Herdman said. “There’s been a lot of competition for places in this selection, so assembling this squad posed some nice problems for a coach.

“The fans will make the difference and they always do. BMO Field in Toronto has been our fortress and with the fans support, we intend to keep it that way.”

Canada’s squad will feature three recent Canadian players of the year: six-time winner Atiba Hutchinson, two-time winner Alphonso Davies, and one-time winner Jonathan David. Veteran Hutchinson is taking part in his fifth cycle of World Cup Qualifiers while Davies and David are taking part in their first cycle of FIFA qualifiers.

Davies and David are the two youngest players on the team at 20 and 21, respectively. Davies of Bayern Munich is a Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League winner while David of Lille OSC in France in a Ligue 1 winner. Davies and David are two of five Canadians aged 23 or younger in the squad alongside Tajon Buchanan of New England Revolution, Alistair Johnston of Nashville SC, and Liam Fraser of Columbus SC. Buchanan, the 2020 Canadian youth international player of the year and 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup young player award winner, will join Club Brugge in January after a club-record transfer from his MLS club to Belgium.

Hutchinson, who has started his ninth season at Beşiktaş JK in Turkey, ranks second in Canada’s record books with 85 career MMNT international “A” appearances, five behind all-time leader Julian de Guzman. Midfielder Hutchinson is one of five players with 40 or more appearances in the September squad alongside Samuel Piette of CF Montréal (57), goalkeeper Milan Borjan of Red Star Belgrade (53), Jonathan Osorio of Toronto FC (42), and Beşiktaş teammate Cyle Larin (40).

Other key experienced players presently with European clubs are Junior Hoilett of Reading FC in England, Steven Vitória of Moreirense FC in Portugal, and David Wotherspoon of St. Johnstone FC in Scotland. Younger stars in Europe and Asia are Samuel Adekugbe of Hatayspor FC in Turkey, Stephen Eustáquio of FC Paços de Ferreira in Portugal, Doneil Henry of Suwon Samsung Bluewings in Korea Republic, and Scott Kennedy of SSV Jahn Regensburg in Germany.

Joining Buchanan, Fraser, Johnston, Osorio and Piette from Major League Soccer clubs are Lucas Cavallini and Maxime Crépeau from Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Mark-Anthony Kaye from Colorado Rapids, Richie Laryea from Toronto FC, and Kamal Miller and James Pantemis from CF Montréal.

 

Canada roster

GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
GK- James Pantemis | CAN / CF Montréal
CB- Doneil Henry | KOR / Suwon Samsung Bluewings
CB- Scott Kennedy | GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
CB- Kamal Miller | CAN / CF Montréal
CB- Steven Vitória | POR / Moreirense FC
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | TUR / Hatayspor FC
FB- Alphonso Davies | GER / FC Bayern München
FB- Alistair Johnston | USA / Nashville SC
FB- Richie Laryea | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Stephen Eustáquio | POR / FC Paços de Ferreira
M- Liam Fraser | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Colorado Rapids
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / CF Montréal
M- David Wotherspoon | SCO / St. Johnstone FC
F- Tajon Buchanan | USA / New England Revolution
F- Lucas Cavallini | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F- David Junior Hoilett | ENG / Reading FC
F- Cyle Larin | TUR / Beşiktaş JK

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.