TORONTO – It’s a chilly Thanksgiving morning at Toronto FC’s training facility, but the Canadian men’s national team are keeping the pitch busy.
For the first time since Jesse Marsch took over the squad, Les Rouges will play in front of the home supporters at TFC’s BMO Field, taking on Panama on Tuesday (7:30 pm ET | OneSoccer; FS1), giving Canadians their first in-person look at the team that stunned at the summer’s Copa América.
While most players’ families will have been home celebrating Thanksgiving weekend, with the Canadian holiday earlier than its American counterpart, Canadian soccer also has something to be thankful for – the quick turnaround the program has seen under Marsch’s tutelage.
“It’s my first match at home, and I can say that, between being in Montréal and being here in Toronto, it's been perfect," Marsch told MLSsoccer.com.
"Many people have come up to us and been excited to see us. I think there's positive energy, and I'm excited to be in front of our fans and see what it feels like to be the Canadian national team manager."
While the CanMNT only booked a single friendly for the October window, they’ve spent significant time together, connecting with local youth clubs in Montréal and training at both the CF Montréal and TFC facilities.
With 12 MLS players and an expanded 26-man squad, Marsch has continued building out the team while lending time to Canadian youth players unparalleled in the past.
“It’s been super fun; Jesse has a very fun and serious culture, and all the guys enjoy it. I think you can see that on the field,” Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ali Ahmed said.
“We fight for each other and play; we're all in sync. It's fun and it's smooth. I can tell you that much.”
Building from the base
Ahmed, Richie Laryea, Jonathan Osorio and 11 others highlight the returning players from the summer’s success, who have formed the core of the men’s national team in its latest era.
That consistency has given the group a baseline, helping them push toward World Cup 2026 and positioning them to succeed in the near term with Tuesday’s friendly and November’s Concacaf Nations League.
“Obviously, experimenting and trying new things is good, and we need to be able to, as guys have said in the past, grow the depth on the team, see different guys, and see guys in different positions,” Laryea said. “I think this summer was evident of that. You saw guys step in and do really well.”
Throughout the last two windows, several players have come in, including Sporting Kansas City’s Zorhan Bassong and Montréal’s Nathan Saliba. Deepening the roster is critical, something the group will need in the leadup to their biggest moments on home turf.
“We're gonna lose some matches between now and 2026, we know that. But the key is to hone in on performances and mentality and mindset and development of what we're building,” Marsch said.
“We want to continue to show that we're mature, that we're not going to slip up, and that we’re going to continue to push. We've brought in different players to look at and expose them to what we do into the national team. But in the end, we still want to go out and win this game.”
MLS players step up
While Copa América fan favorite Moïse Bombito transferred from the Colorado Rapids to French top division side OGC Nice to end the summer, Marsch isn’t hesitating to give more looks at the rest of the MLS players in the squad.
After all, 18 of the players have played in MLS.
Nashville SC's Jacob Shaffelburg, in his first CanMNT camp since the birth of his first child, has solidified himself a spot among the starters, similar to the all-MLS goalkeeper trio. Yet there are opportunities against Panama, with regular right back and former Nashville and Montréal defender Alistair Johnston not among the group.
“It’s about who can step up and fill the gaps in those situations, so for myself and I think everybody that comes in, it’s about showing well, getting used to the system,” Ahmed said, potentially able to slide into Johnston’s spot.
“Whether I have to play a certain position, if I'm able to get on the pitch, I'm thankful that I know I'm able to do that and I take pride in that... I'll step on the field and do it to the best of my ability and help the team whatever the team needs."
