Everything you need to know about Canada's World Cup kickoff in Qatar

Since Canada’s debut at the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 1986, fans donning the red maple leaf have been left parched as a 36-year drought prevented them from competing again for the game’s most coveted trophy -- until now.

Canada’s rebirth in soccer has blossomed exponentially, with talent reigning from across the country, not only playing but thriving for the biggest clubs in the Champions League, Bundesliga, Major League Soccer and more.

International performances have thus benefitted immensely, as the team finally returns to the World Cup for only their second time in history this November.

Here is everything you need to know as Canada’s rebirth kicks off in Qatar.

ROAD TO 2022

An inspiring CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) qualifying campaign lifted spirits across the country last year.

Against soccer giants, the United States and Mexico, plus another five teams from the region, Canada faced a mountain to climb to qualify a round earlier ahead of hosting the tournament in 2026. Yet the squad then pulled off the unthinkable and ended up topping the table with the statistics to prove their qualification was anything but a fluke.

Canada lost only two of their 14 matches in the third and final round with Brampton, Ont. forward Cyle Larin leading the scoring charts with six goals, followed by Ottawa’s Jonathan David, who netted five times. The squad subsequently recorded the most goals (23) and fewest conceded (seven) on route to going undefeated against Mexico and the United States, games which saw Canada win twice and secure two draws.

The brain behind Canada’s brilliant renaissance as of late is head coach John Herdman. The 47-year-old from Consett, England, is already accustomed to carrying the pressures of rebuilding a program after reworking the intricacies of the Canadian Women’s National Team to win two Olympic bronze medals before taking over the men’s side in 2018.

An emphasis on brotherhood, resilience and spirit has been key to his formula as Canada made headlines in the sports world and subsequently rose to their highest-ever world ranking during qualifying (33rd).

Now, for the country honoured as the “most improved side” by FIFA in 2021, the task gets even harder next week.

TOURNAMENT BREAKDOWN

Canada, who are now ranked 41st in the world, have been drawn into a tricky Group F alongside Belgium, Croatia and Morocco.

Their biggest test will be their opening match on Nov. 23 as the nerves of playing at the World Cup are heightened against second-ranked country Belgium, who finished third last time out. Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku, Manchester City’s midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will lead the Europeans on the pitch. Their bench is littered with top talent, too.

However, Belgium enter the tournament with a chip on their shoulder, knowing it is now or never for their ‘Golden Generation’ to win a title. A win for Canada is unlikely here, but the magic of the World Cup means you shouldn’t write it off.

Four days later, the challenge is almost equally difficult as Canada faces 2018 World Cup finalists, Croatia. A significant portion of that squad has since left international duty; however, captain Luka Modric, who plays for Real Madrid, and Mateo Kovacic, who plays for Premier League side Chelsea, will be keen to maintain control of the midfield. This could restrict Canada’s influence across 90 minutes.

Ideally, Herdman’s men will want to pick up any number of points to stay within reach of the knockout rounds depending on the result of other fixtures. A draw against 12th-ranked Croatia would be a positive result and is not entirely out of the question.

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The final group stage game is against Morocco on Dec. 1, and depending on how many points Canada won in their opening two matches, this could be a crunch 90 minutes that decides if this is to be their final game of the tournament. The 22nd-ranked nation features Chelsea forward Hakim Ziyech, Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi and Montreal-born Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, among others. Morocco are one of the best nations in Africa at the moment.

Like against Croatia, the potential to steal points is on the table, and fans can expect a cagey match as these two square up nicely against one another. Fatigue, injuries, and raging emotions could also play a key role in how Canada performs in their last game, which could also be the end of their run in Qatar.

However, assuming Canada finishes either first or second in their group, they will move on to the Round of 16 and face either the runners-up or winners from Group E, which includes: Germany, Spain, Costa Rica and Japan.

Then, barring the unexpected, a potential route to the final could see Herdman’s men face the likes of heavyweights Brazil, Argentina, France or the Netherlands en route to the trophy.

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS?

Swiftly put, there are not any. The qualifying campaign was a surprising and inspiring run which captivated sports fans across the country -- soccer lovers or not. It’s time to drink in that the 36-year wait to return to the World Cup is about to be snapped.

It’s unlikely that Canada will reach the knockout rounds, but the three games ahead carry a lot of weight as the program’s rebuild continues. This year’s World Cup is a building block ahead of hosting the 2026 tournament alongside the United States and Mexico.

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Herdman and his management team need to acclimate to playing on the world’s biggest stage again. Getting their feet wet, learning to cope with the pressure and potentially scoring the country’s first-ever World Cup goal will be on the to-do list.

If there were one lofty expectation for Canada, it would be this: How tall can a hockey country stand against the world’s best in soccer? It’s time to find out.