Canadian fans say they are proud of men’s soccer team despite loss to Morocco

Colin Paterson was hoping for a result this time around. The 31-year-old said he has been watching the team since he was young. This means the soccer fan hasn’t had much to cheer about over the years.

When Canada was announced as a co-host of this year’s tournament in 2017, it was ranked 120th in the world, which was an improvement from 122nd in the world in 2014.

But things have turned around in less than a decade as Canada qualified for the World Cup in 2022 after its first and only appearance in 1986.

On Saturday, the team was poised to take another step after winning its first knockout match against South Africa.

But Morocco was a different kind of opponent. Morocco entered the tournament sitting seventh in FIFA’s rankings while Canada was No. 30.

“It’s tough,” Paterson says. “I’m disappointed, because I feel that they played so well. Maybe they could have gotten a result. But we were in the round of 16. I would have never expected that.”

Canada advanced to game after beating South Africa to win the country’s first ever knockout match at the World Cup.

Saturday’s game against the North African team was tied nil-nil after one half.

Morocco opened the scoring in the 50th minute when Azzedine Ounahi’s shot went past Canada’s goaltender Max Crepeau.

Ounahi then scored his second goal in 82nd minute and Soufiane Rahimi scored his team’s third goal deep into stoppage to seal his team’s advancement to the quarterfinals, where they will play either Paraguay or France in a quarterfinal matchup in Boston on July 9.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Canadian fans say they are proud of men’s soccer team despite loss to Morocco

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