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Canada is on the cusp of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup

by Paul Desbaillets

A huge game is happening on Nov. 12.

Well it’s getting progressively colder out there but that doesn’t stop football — not even in the slightest of ways. If anything, it’s just ramping up. We have to start with team Canada and the phenomenal job they’re doing. It’s the first time since 1997 that Canada has reached the top 50 with FIFA. Canada ranked 72nd at the start of the year and now we’re on the cusp of qualifying for World Cup 2022. Tune in for a huge game for the Syrup Boys taking place on Nov. 12.

Canada is on the cusp of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup

In other local football news, the CFM are on the verge of qualifying for the 2021 MLS playoffs and they have two very important games: Wednesday, Nov. 3 and Sunday, Nov. 7, officially marking the end of the regular season.

Fingers crossed that all goes according to plan. [Ed.’s note: Sadly this was not the case.]

CF Montreal missed their shot at the MLS playoffs. See you in 2022.

Internationally, I’m not even sure where to begin. 

The Premier League is as wild as ever. In just 10 weeks, it seems a coach is going to be fired daily based on their previous games’ outcomes. Since last month, Newcastle United became the richest club on the planet. The ownership group is worth an estimated $320-billion. (Yup, billion with a B.) Ironically, even with all that money, as of this past weekend, the club is on the verge of being demoted from the Premier League.

It would make things even more interesting if they didn’t manage to stay up, and to fight it out in the lower division before being able to start spending all those dollars!

You may have missed the efforts by FIFA to woo the world with the idea of the World Cup being played every two years, versus four. The idea was that with just two international breaks each year, clubs would see the advantage of having their players for longer and with fewer disruptive fixtures in a year’s calendar.

Also proposed was a compulsory 25-day rest period for players after international tournaments. 

UEFA is strongly against this proposal. Money talks my friend, money talks.

Australian Josh Cavallo shows his bravery, coming out as the only gay male active soccer player in the world.

Very big news out of Australia: Josh Cavallo came out at the end of October and becomes the world’s only gay male active soccer player in the world! The 21-year-old midfielder came out on social media, writing about the decision to go public and announcing his sexuality in an open letter posted on Twitter. 

“All I want to do is play football and be treated equally. I’m tired. Trying to perform at the best of your ability and to live this double life, it’s exhausting. It’s something that I don’t want anyone to experience.”

——Josh Cavallo

I say, congratulations to him on reaching his truth and being open to talk publicly about his personal journey, in hopes of offering strength to others who might be in the same position he was in prior to coming out. Bravo! 

When we next connect it will be December: Santa, Boxing Day, football. We will know a lot more about World Cup 22 and which teams made the grade. We will have our MLS Champ and a great view of who will probably stay at the top of the Premier League table in England and who might be downgraded come end of May.

Till then, stay safe and keep loving the beautiful game as it gives us storyline after storyline.

 “I’ve never scored a goal in my life without getting a pass from someone else.”

——Abby Wambach

Check out The 1st Half podcast (about soccer and football culture in Montreal and beyond) here.

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Posted in :the 1st half, Sports

by Paul Desbaillets

Contributor
Paul is a Canadian entrepreneur. He is a partner in Burgundy Lion Group which owns several establishments in his hometown of Montreal. Paul is also the founder of GOAL Initiatives Foundation, a national CRA charity making a difference through cultural development, wellness and youth sports programming. In 2019, Paul created the 1st Half Podcast Football Culture show, dedicated to all aspects of the beautiful game. Paul interviews chefs, musicians, artists, athletes, fanatics, influencers and anyone else he can find willing to talk to him about the football ecosystem.