THE HOMECOMING” FOR THE CO-HOSTS
Trailblazing Hoilett
Heartwarming
The unprecedented three match international break got off to a flyer for the ‘World Champion’ Canadian team. Well World Champions in beating teams who’ve had a couple of payers sent off.
A revitalised Jonathan David’s opener had memories of 6 nil Qatar wrote all over it. For all JD’s Juve doubters there’s a growing list of Atlético supporters who beg to differ.
Very cool there with the individual player introductions, not too sure though about Jesse trotting out in the headliner’s slot, the last onto the BMO Field stage. More importantly what a fabulous tribute calling up both Hoilett and Piette. In doing so allow them to Canada shine and say au revoir to their respective partisans.
36 years young Junior Hoilett is a trailblazer, the perfect antidote to Owen Hargreaves. Plus that laundry list of Canada legible players who opted for international careers elsewhere. This all coming at a time Canada’s talent cupboard was basically bare. Especially that soccer sub species which has graced some of the most fabled football pitches there is.
Hoilett opted for Canada.. It took Hoilett a good few years to commit but finally doing so in fall 2015 where he featured in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. Although perhaps a very long shot; England was another option for him
Ironically Hoilett scored his first goal for Canada at the 2017 Gold cup against Jamaica. He went on to appear well over 70 times for Canada in an international career which spanned a decade.
Not that anyone asked; to me Junior Hoilett was Canada’s best player at the 2022 World Cup Finals where he started in all three group stage encounters. To me Hoilett should have been part of Jesse Marsch’s squad, a somewhat bashed up one at that. A wise and an experienced player; he could have contributed on and off the pitch.
Heralding from that Ontario football factory that is Brampton SC, where other alumni includes the likes of Jonathan Osorio, Tajon Buchanan, Liam Millar, Jayden Nelson, Cyle Larin, and Promise David. Hoilett achieved something not many Premier League players have done; Junior can add ‘turned down Sir Alex Ferguson to this soccer CV. How about that Owen Hargreaves.
Excuse me not buying into the ‘History Makers’ moniker that bizarrely has been applied to the team. I didn’t sign up neither when Alphonso scored against Croatia back at Qatar 2022. Yes it might have signified the first ever goal in a World Cup Finals for the #CanMNT but it also woke up the Croatians who went on to spank Canada 4-1.
As I enquired on-air at the time with the majestic Mitch Melnick on TSN690 anyone know when the PM was going to calling the national holiday to celebrate it.
A holiday of which we are still waiting for. After the #CanMNT won not one, but two games at this summer’s World Cup; even a knock out stage game but to tag them as ‘History Makers’ is kind of insulting. Especially to bona fide soccer history makers, stand up #CanWNT here who won the lot at the Tokyo Olympics. Against supreme odds at that.
There’s another homecoming of sorts for Samuel Piette Saturday afternoon at Stade Saputo, when the CF Montreal captain will don a Canada shirt for quite likely a final time.
Piette started his club career in the lower reaches of European club final not unlike many of his peers back then. Ironically back in 2012 at the very same time his hometown Montreal Impact made their MLS debut. The very same year he made his international debut. Piette eventually came home to the Impact in summer 2017.
Saturday afternoon will herald Piette’s 70th international appearance, yet to feature on the scoresheet how fitting it would be if Piette bows out internationally with a goal in front of his family, friends and hometown crowd.
On me socials, TSN690 Airwaves plus even out on the street to anyone half decent who might want to listen.
Firstly, I branded CANUSMEX2026 [The United Bid in its origins], The Unusual World Cup. Simply based on World Cup history.
Not ever before had 3 nations co-hosted, let alone traveled in and out of such time zones, nor interchanging from Altitude to Sea Level and vice versa. The hazards and perils of playing football at Altitude are well established if you do not have Altitude in your DNA.
What’s not widely known is that it is far demanding when traveling back to Sea Level. Optimal performance is diminished. Hello Morocco vs Canada. Absolutely Canada had the best opportunities through the first 45, Morocco barely able to string passes together. Let alone carve out opportunity.
Achraf Hakimi and his merry Morocco men had mitigation. They had played their Round of 32 match versus the Netherlands in the suffocating heat and altitude in Monterrey. A match that went the full distance, decided on penalties.
Secondly I stated prior to the World Cup, FRANCE would not reach the Final. History here too. Well least I thought as much until a wiser owl, and thank you, pointed out to me on X Germany had previously reached 3 straight finals. Indeed. Adore being found out me, makes you better. That was Spain1982, Mexico1986 and Italia1990.
My third was that Argentina would fly back home down one World Cup Trophy. There has only ever being two occurrences throughout the entirety of the World Cup Finals that a nation needn’t have bothered packing the Jules Rimet Trophy in their carry-on.
Last time was so far back THE BEATLES only existed in John. Paul, George and Ringo’s minds.
It was at CHILE1962 Pelé became a double World Cup winner at age 21. Phenom personified. What say you Kylian…
A shirt Pelé wore in the Sweden1958 Final, Brasil’s first ever Jules Rimet get, just sold at Auction in Sotheby’s NYC for a rather cool $5.5m USD. Plus the usual buyers fees, and applicable taxes. No change out of $10m CDN then.
Maradona’s Hand of God Shirt, still be the Gold Standard. Fetching £7.1m, at auction back in May 2022. D10S [mistakenly] exchanged this Turin Shroud of a football shirt with England midfielder, Steve Hodge at the final whistle.
Hodge was one of the England players whose blood Maradona twisted inside out during his goal of the century. Which eventually turned out to be the game winner during that infamous and famous MEXICO1986 QF.
We could argue the Unusual World Cup kicked off at the World Cup Draw back on December 5th, 2025 at the aptly named John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. When of course Gianni Infantino pulled the proverbial rabbit out of his back pocket awarding Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize. We’re now beyond the realms of the Hand of God goal 40-years ago.
Now my theory here is Gianni was sorting of buying Trump’s tournament silence, so as to speak. It worked until the most infamous Red Card that sunk without trace after Donny got on the phone with Johnny. How did that work out?
Folarin Balogun recently stated a hornet’s nest enveloped the US Camp, as Belgium smashed the hosts in the Round of 16. Al part of the unsual World Cup d’accord.
Cape Verde blanking the now World Champ’s Spain, the only blot on Luis de la Fuente’s perfect streaks at EURO24 and CANUSAMEX26. Two tournaments two trophies. Which represents the longest unbeaten streak ever of any international manager. Some going from those pesky islanders
Paraguay sending the 4-time world cup champs home early was as heartwarming as it was shocking. The last time Germany won a knock out match of a World Cup was when walking off the pitch at l’Estádio do Maracanã at Brazil2014; World Cup winners. Italy are in a similar predicament, since winning their 4th World Cup back at Germany2006 Twenty years of hurt and counting for the Azzurri.
You really could write a large tome of the Unusual Occurrences at this World Cup. The Unusual Afters After the Final Whistle of Sunday’s Final we’ll touch on at a later date.
Sit right back down, ahead of the 2030 World Cup. One which will be played not in 3 countries, but 3 continents. Nothing unusual to see here then.
@NoelPButler
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