Canada turned heads in topping the final round of World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region. Now comes a string of next-level tests at the World Cup, starting with No. 2 Belgium.

The Canadian men are jumping into the deep end of world football.

Canada coach John Herdman knows the challenge that awaits. And how his players will have to rise to meet it.

B次元官网网址淐oming up against the No. 2 team in the world in Belgium (on Nov. 23), you look at that and you know thereB次元官网网址檚 another level to be found by our players,B次元官网网址� Herdman said. B次元官网网址淵eah it is a bit nerve-racking to that degree. IB次元官网网址檓 sure every coach is going through these emotions.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 new, but itB次元官网网址檚 certainly a gift not a curse IB次元官网网址檇 say to be thinking about this,B次元官网网址� he added.

No. 12 Croatia and No. 22 Morocco await the 41st-ranked Canadians in Group F in Qatar.

And while Herdman got good news pre-tournament on the fitness of veterans Atiba Hutchinson and Jonathan Osorio, there was major disappointment in seeing goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau (broken leg) and defenders Scott Kennedy (shoulder) and Doneil Henry (calf) ruled out by injury,

There was better news on Alphonso Davies, whose hamstring strain is not seen as major. But Herdman will undoubtedly heave a sigh of relief when Bayern Munich star takes the field for Canada.

On the plus side, influential midfielder Stephen Eustaquio has been in a rich vein of form with PortugalB次元官网网址檚 FC Porto. Like Club BruggeB次元官网网址檚 Tajon Buchanan, he has been seeing plenty of elite opposition in the Champions League. Jonathan David has been scoring for FranceB次元官网网址檚 Lille.

And before the latest injury, Davies was Davies.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of positives for Canada,B次元官网网址� Herdman said before arriving in Qatar.

While Herdman is a meticulous planner, there is little he could do about the MLS schedule and the fact that the season ended Oct. 9 for Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. CF Montreal, which accounts for six of the 11 MLS players on HerdmanB次元官网网址檚 roster, played on until it ran into New York City FC in the Oct. 23 Eastern Conference semifinal.

While some players may be lacking B次元官网网址渕atch readiness for World Cup matches that are at that next level,B次元官网网址� Herdman will have his players prepared tactically. Herdman and his staff leave no stone unturned when it comes to scouting the opposition, and the Canadians always have Plans B and C in their back pocket.

And if Plan D is needed, goalkeeper Milan Borjan has a history of requiring treatment around the 20- or 30-minute mark, allowing players to head to the sidelines for hydration B次元官网网址� and a fresh dose of Herdman wisdom.

With the tournament allowing an expanded roster of 26 for the first time, Herdman and his staff did their due diligence into how a bigger squad would affect everything from training to the load on staff. They brought in 26 players for their September camp in Europe ahead of games against Uruguay and Qatar.

B次元官网网址淲e tested the environment in September. I think weB次元官网网址檝e got a great group of players with the right attitude. So that bodes well,B次元官网网址� Herdman said. B次元官网网址淏ut it is a challenge. ThereB次元官网网址檚 certainly the rotation of players. ItB次元官网网址檚 a long tournament.B次元官网网址�

No stranger to World Cups from his time in charge of the Canadian women and while coaching the New Zealand under-20 and senior women, Herdman is well aware of the mental strain on players who are not getting on the field at tournaments.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the biggest challenge around coaching,B次元官网网址� said Herdman. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about being able to establish a level of fairness in the environment, trust in decisions. And this is the journey youB次元官网网址檙e going on. This is the adventure that as a coaching team, as a whole staff and then a player group, we have to embrace that thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be things that impact and test the brotherhood.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no doubt the brotherhood will be tested because when you put pressure and the expectations, scrutiny and consequences of a World Cup around this group B次元官网网址� you know people have never been exposed to this. And often you donB次元官网网址檛 know how people ware going to react in these situations.

B次元官网网址淲ith it being our first World Cup, thereB次元官网网址檒l be a hell of a lot of learnings, I know that for sure. This is the first for the majority of staff on the menB次元官网网址檚 side and the first for these players. So theyB次元官网网址檙e going to learn a lot about each other.B次元官网网址�

While the Canadian menB次元官网网址檚 20-match journey to the World Cup also came with tests, it was against CONCACAF opposition.

A congested qualifying schedule due to the pandemic plus the introduction of Nations League play in CONCACAF and Europe has left little room for teams to play rivals outside their confederation.

CONCACAF has just three teams (No. 13 Mexico, No. 16 U.S. and No. 31 Costa Rica) in the top 40 of the FIFA world rankings. In comparison, Europe has 21 (topped by Belgium) and South AmericaB次元官网网址� six (including No. 1 Brazil).

Herdman is realistic. He hopes others are too.

While Canada is in Qatar to compete and start a new World Cup legacy, it is also building a foundation for 2026 when it co-hosts the tournament with the U.S. and Mexico.

B次元官网网址淚 think the true football fans in Canada understand this. They understand the realities of where Canada sits at this moment in time,B次元官网网址� said Herdman. B次元官网网址淲e have a good team. WeB次元官网网址檝e have good players. But a lot of this is uncharted ground for us. And thereB次元官网网址檒l be a lot of learning experiences and learning on the job for players, staff.

B次元官网网址淎s a coach IB次元官网网址檓 going to learn from Day 1 to the day the tournament ends, everything is going to be new. And thatB次元官网网址檚 what whatB次元官网网址檙e embracing. But itB次元官网网址檚 the same for a lot of coaches and some of the players that are attending B次元官网网址� I think the critical part is knowing that for 2026 thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of organizational knowledge that will be retained from preparing this team, the game experiences, the tournament experience.B次元官网网址�

As co-host in 2026, Canada wonB次元官网网址檛 have to qualify (although FIFA has yet to rubber-stamp that). But it will be a desirable opponent and destination for teams ahead of the tournament. Plus it will have an empty schedule.

B次元官网网址淵ou should be able to play those matches that you havenB次元官网网址檛 been able to get access to which are critical,B次元官网网址� said Herdman. B次元官网网址�(ItB次元官网网址檚) critical to understand what it feels like to play against that $500-million-plus valuation team the billion-dollar team and teams like Brazil and England. Those are real tests, next-step tests that you have to experience.

B次元官网网址淔or this World Cup, I think the football fan that really understands football and world football, they get it. They understand for Canada to play the No. 2 team in the world, thatB次元官网网址檚 a big test. And itB次元官网网址檚 a real experience. Because weB次元官网网址檝e never played a top-five-ranked team in the world since I donB次元官网网址檛 know, maybe a decade ago,B次元官网网址� he added.

B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檝e got a lot to learn. But at the same time we have the underdog opportunity B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e going to embrace.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擭eil Davidson, The Canadian Press