Canadian soccer has made major strides in the last few years. This is because of international talent streaming in from European leagues. Remarkable players, such as box-to-box midfielders, started a revolution in the game. Still, Canada kept its unique identity, such as calling it soccer instead of football.
Canada built its identity on its UK heritage and closeness to the US, where football means NFL. That’s why Canadians say both “soccer” and “football” depending on who they’re talking to. That friendliness helps new players fit right into Canadian soccer teams. Here is the history of Canadian soccer and some of the best Canadian soccer players who fit right away.
Overview of Canadian Soccer
The first Canadian soccer match took place in Toronto in 1876. It took until 1912 before the Dominion of Canada Football Association got made. Soccer matches around that game looked more like big brawls than sports matches. There were no rules, and people of all ages could play for hours. What the Association did in 1912 was create a set of rules. The players didn’t like those rules and first thought them silly. They called anyone playing by the rules an “assocer.” This later got shortened to “soccer.”
Soccer is now right behind hockey in popularity in Canada, and it keeps rising. That is most likely because soccer is very easy to learn and very cheap to play. It is the people’s game compared to hockey, which takes a lot of equipment and preparation. Soccer is a simple way to entertain oneself, the same as playing in a 7€ bonus casino .
Rise of Canadian Soccer
The Canadian men’s soccer team qualified for the World Cup for the second time in 2022. That was one of the most important Canadian soccer player achievements. They were the first in the CONCACAF qualifiers due to the best Canadian soccer players.
Called “Les Rouges,” or “The Reds,” they are showing more and more improvement. In 2024, they also played in the Copa America for the first time, ending up 4th. In 2026, Canada will be the host of the World Cup alongside the USA and Mexico. This is because the Canadian soccer infrastructure is still not that great. But, the best Canadian players will make sure the people keep watching and playing.
The Canadian Premier League is the top tier of Canadian soccer. It launched in 2017, but there are some special rules in place. The league features eight teams that have the best Canadian soccer players. But, the teams must also have Canadian players and include the young ones to promote the sport. That helps create training conditions for the Canada men’s national soccer team players.
Profiles of Key Players
Alphonso Davies
Alphonso Davies is a 23-year-old who spent his formative years in Vancouver Whitecaps. He exploded in 2018 when he became a regular starter for them. That year, he scored 8 goals and made 11 assists in 31 matches for that Canadian team. Bayern soon noticed him and bought him for 14 million euros.
Despite being one of the best Canadian soccer players, Alphonso had to prove himself. He first started playing for Bayern’s second team. Only when he proved himself there, he became a regular starter for the first team. He is a regular starter for the Canadian football team too, where he helps a lot.
Jonathan David
Jonathan David, born in 2000, started playing for Ottawa Wizards when he was 18. He moved to Belgium in 2020 and started playing for Gent. There he played 60 matches and scored 30 goals. Lille noticed him and bought him for 27 million euros. He played 149 matches for Lille, scoring 72 times and assisting 10 times.
Jonathan is one of the best Canadian soccer players thanks to his goal-scoring. His scoring consistency increased his worth to 50 million euros. That steady performance is the best way to get noticed by a major soccer team and get a juicy contract.
Tajon Buchanan
Tajon Buchanan, aged 25, first wore his cleats for New England Revolution in 2019. He showed signs of being one of the best Canadian soccer players. Still, it took until 2021 for him to start scoring — he got 9 goals across 28 matches. Belgium’s Club Brugge noticed him and bought him for 6.4 million euros in 2021. Two years later, he still hadn’t found his pace. Club Brugge sold him to Inter for 7 million euros, where he scored once in 10 matches.
Tajon is one of the best Canadian football players when it comes to passing. But, he struggles with ball control. He is currently with a shin injury, which we hope won’t impact his performance.
Atiba Hutchinson
Career highlights of top Canadian soccer stars aren’t complete without Atiba Hutchinson. He is a now-retired midfielder who started playing in Helsingborg in 2004. He soon showed signs of being one of the best Canadian soccer players. He moved to PSV in 2010, where he played 75 matches. In 2013, he moved to Turkey and started playing for Besiktas. He ended his career in 2023 at the ripe age of 41.
Atiba’s strengths have always been organizing the defense. But, when he needed to score, he did that as well. Other European clubs with Canadian players look up to Atiba’s shining example. He led his team with his midfield prowess.
Stephen Eustáquio
This 27-year-old midfielder started his professional career in Leixoes. He played 20 matches there without scoring. Chaves took notice of him and bought him for 500,000 euros in 2018. After two seasons at Chaves, Stephen Eustáquio moved from Portugal to Mexico. Cruz Azul bought him for 2.5 million euros. He played only one match there before moving back to Portugal. There, he started playing for P. Ferreira. Finally, he settled in Porto.
Stephen shows the impact of Canadian soccer players in Europe. He is irreplaceable thanks to his tactical versatility. That makes him one of the best Canadian soccer players in Europe.
Craig Forrest
This former goalkeeper had a huge impact on the development of soccer in Canada. He played his entire professional career in England. He appeared for Ipswich, Chelsea, and West Ham, but also had 56 caps for Canada. In 1995, he was the goalie for Ipswich when it lost 9:0 to Manchester United. Still, he held his head up high and didn’t let that impact him.
Craig Forrest is now a sports commentator and the FIFA ambassador. He helps children without parents get their bearings in life. That ability to help kids reach their goals makes him one of the best Canadian soccer players.
Tomasz Radzinski
Tomasz Radzinski was an attacker and scorer in England and Belgium. He started playing for Everton in 2002, appearing 29 times and scoring 5 goals. He had a remarkable speed, making him one of the most famous Canadian football players. He last played in 2012 for Beveren, appearing 3 times without scoring.
Tomasz highlighted the role of Canadian players in European soccer leagues. He showed again and again that foreign players can play well in Europe. That set the stage for other teams to start attracting foreign talent. He wasn’t one of the best Canadian soccer players, but he was still a trailblazer.
Junior Hoilett
This attacker is 34 years old and worth 145,000 euros. He started playing for Blackburn in the EPL in 2009. He took a while to start scoring, which happened when he moved to QPR in 2012. He soon became one of the best Canadian soccer players of the time. He moved to Cardiff in 2016, where he stayed until 2021. After short stints at Reading and Whitecaps, he moved to Aberdeen in 2023. There, he appeared 13 times and scored twice.
Junior Hoilett is not on the Aberdeen roster right now. Still, he showed European teams that Canada has a big pool of soccer players. That will make future prospects for Canadian soccer talents much better.
Liam Millar
Liam Millar is 24 and already worth 2.2 million euros. He started playing at 17 for Liverpool U23, scoring 3 times in 22 matches. He showed that he is one of the best Canadian soccer players in Basel, where he moved in 2021. In 31 matches, he scored 7 times, but then he moved to Preston and then to Hull in the EPL.
This attacker is one of the best Canadian soccer players of all time when it comes to dedication. He gives every match his best and tries to make an impact on the scoresheet.
Canadian Soccer On the Rise
Canadian soccer is only going to get better and better. As Canada improves its soccer infrastructure, players will become professional earlier. That will help foster the best Canadian soccer players, who are sure to move to Europe. We’re eager to see them all in action. Stay tuned for more transfer news and rumors about Canadian players.
