Sports

Heroes emerge as Canada moves on to the next round at the World Cup

July 2, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Chris Broom

Canadian soccer fans in Orangeville will remember where they were on Sunday afternoon for a very long time. Whether they attended a watch party in Brampton or elsewhere in Ontario, sat on a patio at a local pub or nervously huddled in front of their television in the backyard with family and friends, it was a seminal moment for the sport of soccer in this country.

The latest boost to our collective morale came as Stephen Eustaquio scored late into stoppage time to push Canada to a slim 1-0 victory over the Republic of South Africa and into the round of 16, new territory for Canadians on the men’s side of the sport.

Eustaquio started his soccer journey as millions of Canadians do, playing for his local minor soccer club in Leamington, Ont., a town with a population comparable to Orangeville.

His family moved to Portugal when he turned 7 years old, so his story doesn’t necessarily mirror a typical pathway in the game for young Canadians. However, the men’s national team have six players on the current roster who hail from just down the highway, having grown up playing in the City of Brampton. Many of their tales of development began with them playing in grassroots soccer environments similar to those offered in Orangeville today.

Soccer programs run by clubs like Storm FC rely heavily on parent volunteers and former alumni players who return to the area, looking to give back to the sport by coaching.

Every year, over 1,000 young players sign up to play soccer in Orangeville, making it the area’s largest participation sport. Players such as Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan would never have made it out of Brampton and onto the national programs of Canada Soccer if it weren’t for the countless volunteer coaches who supported them and inspired a love of the sport.

Canada’s men’s national coach Jesse Marsch called the players a group of ‘Canadian heroes’ after the historic win on Sunday. Well, our growth as a soccer nation owes a debt of gratitude to all the unsung heroes from Leamington, Brampton, Orangeville and all the other small and large communities across Canada that showed up every weeknight and weekend over the past decades to take to the field and nurture the love of the sport with our youth.

As Canada hosts the men’s version of the FIFA World Cup for the first time, Storm FC is taking the opportunity to ramp up soccer development in the area. The club is bringing in coaches from abroad, aligning with Challenger Sports for two weeks of soccer camp in July and August, and offering group development nights during the week in addition to the usual house league game nights.

Parents looking to elevate their children’s soccer experience can find out more at www.stormfc.ca. Jump on board as Canada keeps the ride going with their next World Cup match scheduled for Saturday, July 4, at 1 p.m. EST in Houston, Texas.

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