Canadian head coach Tony Waiters knew what he wanted when he prepared his team for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The players would be fit and well organized. The team would be difficult to play against and create opportunities from set pieces.

Waiters also knew what he didnB次元官网网址檛 want.

B次元官网网址淚n 1982 El Salvador got beat 10-1 by Hungry,B次元官网网址� Waiters said. B次元官网网址淚 wanted to make sure that didnB次元官网网址檛 happen to us.B次元官网网址�

Carl Valentine, a striker on that 1986 team, remembers standing in the tunnel prior to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 opening Group C match against France. A favourite to win the World Cup that year, the reigning European champions had a lineup featuring players like Michel Platini, Jean Tigana and Alain Giresse.

B次元官网网址淭hat moment being in the tunnel makes it real,B次元官网网址� said Valentine. B次元官网网址淭hen you are thinking B次元官网网址榦h my God, donB次元官网网址檛 embarrass ourselves.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 score a goal, but we didnB次元官网网址檛 get blown out.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 been 32 years since Canada qualified for its only World Cup. Members of that team recently gathered in Vancouver to reminisce about the past and talk about the excitement of Canada being a co-host for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

B次元官网网址淭his is kind of an occasion to probably tell the same stories we tell every time we get together,B次元官网网址� said Bob Lenarduzzi, a defender in 1986 who would go on to be a national team coach and president of the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps.

The B次元官网网址�86 team was stocked with several players from the old North American Soccer League which folded in 1984. Waiters, a former goalkeeper who earned five caps for England, coached the 1979 Whitecaps team that won the NASL championship. Valentine and Lenarduzzi played on that team.

The groundwork for the World Cup was laid at the 1984 Olympics where Canada lost to Brazil in a shootout in the quarterfinals.

B次元官网网址淭hat gave us a lot of momentum and I think we carried that into qualifying,B次元官网网址� said striker Dale Mitchell, who would go on to coach the Canadian national team.

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To reach the World Cup Canada needed to qualify out of CONCACAF (North America, Central America and the Caribbean). With host Mexico automatically granted a berth, Canada was one of 17 teams battling for the final spot.

The Canadians punched their ticket to Mexico with a 2-1 win over Honduras on Sept 14, 1985 in St. JohnB次元官网网址檚, N.L.

During the qualifying matches Waiters had preached taking space away from opponents, especially against teams like Costa Rica and Honduras.

B次元官网网址淚f you let them play they would kill you, so we didnB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e made life very difficult for them.B次元官网网址�

At the time not everyone on the team totally understood WaitersB次元官网网址� strategy.

B次元官网网址淚 used to think canB次元官网网址檛 we play just a little bit more,B次元官网网址� said Lenarduzzi. B次元官网网址淗e had a way we were going to play and it was designed to maximize our abilities and not play into the oppositionB次元官网网址檚 hands.B次元官网网址�

Goalkeeper Paul Dolan said what the team lacked in skill it compensated for with camaraderie.

B次元官网网址淲e were a brotherhood,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e knew we werenB次元官网网址檛 the most talented team.

B次元官网网址淲e had a lot of confidence in our abilities and a lot of bond within the players. We played for each other.B次元官网网址�

On the bus ride to the opening game against the Mexico fans along the route held up their hands indicating how many goals each team would score.

B次元官网网址淭hey were using two hands for France and none for us,B次元官网网址� said Lenarduzzi.

A disciplined Canadian team gave the French all they could handle. Initially nervous, Dolan relaxed and soaked in the moment.

B次元官网网址淲here you might have had fear and just wanted to get the game over, I enjoyed it,B次元官网网址� he said.

Canada missed several good scoring chances early. As the match progressed it looked like the sides would settle for a 0-0 draw. In the 78th minute a Canadian defensive lapse allowed FranceB次元官网网址檚 Jean-Pierre Papin to score.

Canada would lose the next game 2-0 to Hungary. Waiters said some Canadian Soccer Association officials returned home even though Canada still had a mathematical chance of advancing.

The final game was a 2-0 loss to Russia. Lenarduzzi came close to scoring CanadaB次元官网网址檚 only World Cup goal.

B次元官网网址淚 rushed it and stubbed my toe,B次元官网网址� he said, B次元官网网址淚t just kind of caught the ball and it bobbled toward the keeper. I was happy because the keeper actually dived for it to it made it look a little better.B次元官网网址�

Walking off the pitch after that final game, the players believed they had planted the seeds for future success. Instead there has been a 30-plus year drought.

B次元官网网址淲e all felt like we had finally cracked it and we were going to qualify every year,B次元官网网址� said Valentine. B次元官网网址淭hat was not bravado. We just felt we were going to qualify for a lot more.B次元官网网址�

Looking forward, Mitchell said young players in Canada are receiving better coaching now than in the past. He also believes the creation of the Canadian Premier League, which will begin play next April, will help develop homegrown talent.

B次元官网网址淲hen you get to a certain age itB次元官网网址檚 about first-team games,B次元官网网址� he said.

Waiters would like to see more work done developing soccer in inner-city neighbourhoods.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 where the talent is in Canada today,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e have to get them into the mainstream.B次元官网网址�

Some fans are excited that Canada should automatically earn a berth when it co-hosts the 2026 World Cup. But Dolan, who works with the current national team coached by John Herdman, wants to see Canada qualify for the 2022 tournament.

B次元官网网址淚 truly believe we can qualify in 2022,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat needs to be the goal, not a free stop in 2026.B次元官网网址�

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press

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