'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Canada has cracked the top 50 in the FIFA world rankings, climbing three places to No. 48 in the latest numbers.
The Canadian men started the year at No. 72 but have steadily risen thanks to a 11-2-4 record in 2021 that has seen John Herdman's team make the final round of World Cup qualifying in CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Canada's lone losses have been to the U.S. and Mexico at the Gold Cup. The Canadians have outscored their opposition 52-10 the year.
Canada registered World Cup qualifying ties in Mexico (1-1) and Jamaica (0-0) and defeated visiting Panama 4-1 during the time frame covering the new rankings. FIFA says 160 matches were played over that time.
The Canadians remains fourth in CONCACAF, behind No. 9 Mexico, the 13th-ranked Americans and No. 45 Costa Rica, which dropped one rung.
Being in the top 50 has tangible benefits, especially for players looking to earn a contract in the United Kingdom. Since Brexit, the U.K. has adopted a points-based system for work permits. Cracking the top 50 should help Canadian players get a visa.
Canada's best ranking was No. 40 in December 1996. But the new rankings mark the first time the Canadians have broken into the top 50 since FIFA revamped its rating formula in 2018.
Canada hosts Costa Rica and Mexico in Edmonton when World Cup qualifying resumes next month.
Belgium remains atop the rankings with Brazil at No. 2. France and Italy move up one spot to No. 3 and 4, respectively, while England falls two places to No. 5. Argentina is unchanged at No. 6, followed by Spain (up one), Portugal (down one), Mexico and Denmark.
Germany rose two places to No. 12, leapfrogging the U.S. Uruguay, down three rungs to No. 15, lost the most ground among top-20 teams.
New Zealand (No. 111, up 10) and Indonesia (No. 165, up 10) were the biggest movers of the month. Northern Ireland was the biggest loser (No. 58, down 11).
In February 2002, Canada jumped 19 places to No. 73 in the rankings, courtesy of a third-place finish at the Gold Cup. At the time, it marked Canada's quickest climb up the world soccer ladder since winning the 2000 Gold Cup, when it rose 24 spots to 61st overall.
In June 2007, Canada climbed 38 places from No. 94 to No. 56 as it progressed to the Gold Cup semifinals. It reached No. 52 the following month.
Canada's lowest-ever ranking was 122nd, which it dubiously reached in both August and October 2014.
The Canadian women, gold medallists at the recent Tokyo Olympics, are currently ranked sixth by FIFA.
---
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2021
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
English, history, entertainment, math and geography: high school trivia teams could be quizzed on any of it when they compete at the Reach for the Top Nationals in Ottawa in June.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.