“I just told (the team) they belong here,” Canada coach John Herdman said after the game. “And we’re going to go and ‘F’ Croatia next. It’s as simple as that.”

Making their first World Cup appearance since 1986, Canada gave everything they had against a tough Belgium team, ultimately falling 1-0 in their opener. The Red Devils came to Qatar ranked No. 2 in the world and the favorites to win Group F, but did not have an easy day at the office against the pesky Canadians. 

Despite the result, the energy from the young Canadian squad was abundant throughout. The performance by Herdman’s crew amplified the already-prominent buzz around the team, going toe-to-toe with a team that has topped the FIFA rankings for the last few years. 

“We showed the world what we want out of this tournament,” Canada defender Steven Vitoria said after the loss.

You don’t have to listen to just the Canadian side either. Belgium coach Roberto Martinez had high praise for Canada, calling them the better team in his postgame interview. 

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“It was a tough game,” Martinez said. “Canada has a lot of pacy players. They were simply better than us. Belgium need to play better because we didn’t play well tonight.”

While Canada and Belgium each ended with three shots on goal, the Canadians had more shot attempts than their opponent, recording 22 shots to Belgium’s nine. And the chances were there for Canada to convert, but they could not solve the puzzle that was Thibaut Courtois.

In the 10th minute, they were awarded a penalty kick, which star Alphonso Davies could not convert thanks to a sensational stop from the Belgian goalkeeper. 

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Les Rouges should have had another penalty called in the first half, but it appears it was missed by both the official and VAR. Courtois made another solid stop on a header from Cyle Larin in the 80th minute. 

Canada’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stage remain very much alive. With Croatia and Morocco playing to a draw and both still needing to play Belgium, it puts Canada in a good position, despite the opening loss. Wins over the two other Group F members would give Canada six points, however that doesn’t guarantee an automatic spot in the next round. 

While the quest for the team’s first World Cup win (and first World Cup goal) continues on, Canada isn’t going anywhere, and they just made a massive statement to the rest of the world that the hype is real.