Canada should want Italy in the World Cup

Until the last ten minutes of Friday’s World Cup draw, things had gone about as smoothly as they could for Canada.

They’d drawn Switzerland first in Group B. The Swiss are a tough out these days. They gave up only two goals during European qualifying, and didn’t lose a game. Call that one a big ask, but an answerable one.

Up second – Qatar. Great news. The Qataris were mediocre at their own World Cup, and they haven’t gotten much better.

All that had to happen for Canada to call the day its first win of World Cup 2026 was avoid stepping on any rakes in Pot 4. Draw assistant Wayne Gretzky walked them into the biggest one of all – Italy.

Italy hasn’t made this World Cup yet. They got jumped in qualifying by Norway. They’ll have to fight their way through Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina in a mini-tournament in March to get here. So nothing’s guaranteed.

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But would I bet that Italy won’t come out on top? I wouldn’t put up a nickel of your money, never mind my own.

If that’s what comes to pass, Canada will open its World Cup against the Azzurri on June 12 at BMO Field. Good thing there aren’t any citizens of Italian extraction in Toronto, or else the Canadian team might feel like fate was working against them.

This is two things at once – a disaster, and the best thing that could have possibly happened to soccer in this country.

Before a ball was pulled on Friday, Canada probably had visions of winning its group. It may still. But now the team will have to become the team it keeps telling people it is in order to do so.

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The draw was once great theatre because you would get some obvious classics months ahead of time. Those are thin on the ground now that FIFA has inflated qualifying to 48 teams.

England – Croatia in Group L should be a good one. France – Norway has possibilities. Big teams with big players looking to make big statements.

If Canada is a serious soccer nation, it should see itself in this company. It should envision its opener against Italy as what it is – a golden opportunity.

At the last World Cup, Canada faced Belgium in the opener. The Belgians were then ranked second in the world. Canada was all over them. For most of the opening half, one of the great upsets in World Cup history was on tap. Belgium snuck by in the end, but Canada took all the applause.

For a couple of days there, Canada was the hipsters’ choice in world soccer, and deservedly. They’d gone straight at one of the great teams on paper in the world.

Then they got ahead of themselves. Head coach John Herdman publicly rubbished their next opponent, Croatia. The mood in camp swung from plucky underdog to nouveau riche. You could see the team psyching itself out in real time.

Croatia spotted them a goal and then bulldozed them. Canada’s reign as the big comer in the men’s game lasted four days.

Italy is a chance to correct that unforced error.

Should Canada lose to them? Of course. They should be annihilated by them. That’s what the Italians will think. They’ll be opening a World Cup they are supposed to lose in a moderately friendly city in a crummy stadium watched by rubes who want them gone. This is when the Italian football team thrives.

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Most people will see Canada’s path through – lose to Italy, but not by too much. Beat Qatar by as much as possible. Then back up and pray for a draw against Switzerland. That sort of effort would almost certainly qualify Canada to the knockout rounds.

This is a very Canadian way to think about it, which is why it’s wrong. No more nibbling at the edges. It’s a new world. You eat what you kill. Start taking bites.

Direct every iota of Canada’s collective energy and intention at Italy and the first game. Tell people you plan on winning that game. Don’t promise anything. And, for God’s sake, don’t insult anyone. No need to wave any red capes.

But don’t back into proceedings, which is how Canada always does this. This is a home World Cup. Canada isn’t a slob. It features several international stars, and at least one superstar. Start talking like you mean to do some harm.

“Bring it, whoever it is,” Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau said after the draw. “My heart, the little Max who started watching football when I was young, says Italy would be great.”

“Whoever comes out of the European pot to play us, they will have earned it,” said Canadian manager Jesse Marsch. “We won’t fear anyone.”

Easy draws are for teams looking to save their powder for the deep knockout rounds. Brazil wants an easy draw. France wants an easy draw.

The Canadas of the world need hard draws if they want to accomplish the thing that matters – letting everyone know they’re for real.

In Qatar, Morocco was that team in Canada’s group. Nobody thought they’d do anything. They never had before. So Morocco slapped Belgium around, and then Canada, and then Spain, and then Portugal and then they were a serious item. Two weeks of work, years of respect. You don’t do that by squeezing past East Timor and Vatican City.

Beating Switzerland would be amazing. Beating Qatar should be an automatic. But beating Italy? In an opener?

That’s how you wake a whole country up. That’s how you turn six weeks of sports entertainment into a national touchstone.

Canada didn’t have any games that really matter between now and June. They do now – Italy vs. Northern Ireland on March 26 and, should they win, Italy vs. the winner of Wales and Bosnia on March 31.

Canada shouldn’t be hoping Italy wins those two matches. They should be praying they do.