Concacaf history may be repeating itself, and Sunday afternoon’s World Cup qualifier in Hamilton, Ontario, offered an ironic glimpse into a power structure that appears to be evolving again in real time.
Forty years ago, it was Mexico, the unquestioned regional power, that had to contend with a vigorous challenge from an upstart to the north. Lacking El Tri’s pedigree and polish, the nascent U.S. men’s national team compensated with vigor, efficiency and an exhausting commitment to be difficult to play and defeat. Over time, it worked, and an American soccer culture took root. The two countries now are essentially equals, at least on the national team level, and have been trading blows and titles for decades. In many ways, Mexico is still coming to terms with the loss of its permanent place at the Concacaf summit.
Now Canada, a country that hadn’t even advanced to the final round of World Cup qualifying since the late 1990s, is writing a similarly stunning script. While the U.S. has received the plaudits, press and attention for its growing young core of talented athletes, its UEFA Champions League players, its high-profile transfers and its Gold Cup and Nations League winners, Canada has been forging a steely, collective identity. While U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter tries to instill an ambitious and proactive style of play, leaving behind the reductive soccer that once was the program’s hallmark, Canada’s John Herdman has focused on consistency, cohesion and mastering the basics—playing mistake-free soccer and contesting a game on his team’s terms.
