As Canada’s men’s national soccer team gets ready to take to the pitch in its first back-to-back World Cup appearance, one of the squad’s stars is leaning on his hometown for support. On Thursday, Leamington-born Stephen Eustaquio shared a message through his former school board to rally support for the team ahead of its World Cup opener in Toronto. “Hello everybody,” opened Eustaquio in the short video message posted by the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB). “Obviously, we’re going to attend one of the biggest events in the world, which is a World Cup in our home country.” Eustaquio recorded the video in a black Soccer Canada training kit as he reached out to fans to get behind the team. “It’s going to be an amazing journey. A tough one as well. So, I’m just here to ask for your help, to ask for your support,” said Eustaquio. “Everybody from Leamington, from Windsor, Essex County, that you guys support the team. Obviously, we’re going to need it, and I can’t wait for you to see the games.” WECDSB shares a message from Stephen Eustaquio The WECDSB shared that Eustaquio attended St. Louis Catholic Elementary School through Grade 2, before his family returned to their native Portugal, and urged people to back Eustaquio and the team. “Let’s all get behind Stephen and the Canadian team and wish them good luck,” read the post. “Go Canada!” Eustaquio is the lone player on the team from the Windsor-Essex region with players from the Greater Toronto Area dominating the makeup of the squad. Since leaving Leamington, Eustaquio has grown into a technically proficient midfielder and key cog for the Canadian men’s national team, playing professionally for powerhouse teams like FC Porto in Portugal, Cruz Azul in Mexico, and now LAFC in the U.S. Eustaquio also patrolled the midfield for Canada in its return to the World Cup stage in 2022 in Qatar, which ended the country’s 36-year absence following its previously lone trip to soccer’s biggest tournament in 1986. Canada opens its 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 at BMO Field.
