What to know
- Canada advanced to the FIFA World Cup round of 16 for the first time in program history with a 1-0 win over South Africa.
- Stephen Eustaquio scored the winning goal in stoppage time, while Alphonso Davies made his tournament debut off the bench.
- Fans, celebrities and political leaders, including Matthew McConaughey, Christine Sinclair, Ryan Reynolds and Prime Minister Mark Carney, celebrated the historic victory.
- Canada will face the winner of the Netherlands-Morocco match on July 4 in Houston.
Canadians across the country are starting the week celebrating a historic milestone after the men’s national soccer team advanced to the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 for the first time ever.
Canada punched its ticket to the knockout stage after defeating South Africa 1-0 in a dramatic match Sunday in Los Angeles.
The breakthrough came in stoppage time, when Stephen Eustáquio found the back of the net to send Canada into the next round.
Alphonso Davies makes tournament debut
The team also received a major boost in the 75th minute when captain Alphonso Davies entered the match, marking his first appearance of the tournament after recovering from injury.
Canadians and celebrities celebrate historic victory
The dramatic win sparked celebrations across Canada and around the world, with fans, celebrities and political leaders taking to social media to congratulate the team.
Actor Matthew McConaughey was among those celebrating Canada’s historic victory.
“Big congrats to Northern neighbor Canada. [Canada] 1 [South Africa] 0. Carry on co-hosts,” he wrote on X.
Retired Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair, the all-time international goals leader in men’s or women’s soccer, shared an emotional video reacting to the win.
“I’m crying,” she said. “OK! Let’s book our flight.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney also congratulated the team on social media.
“True Canadian heroes. What a game. What a team. What a country.”
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim praised the team’s historic achievement.
“Congratulations to Team Canada on this incredible game and accomplishment. You wore your hearts on your sleeves, gave everything on the field, and gave all of us a memory we’ll never forget,” he wrote.
“Let’s celebrate this moment together in the same safe, passionate way we have throughout the entire World Cup. We cannot wait for the next game.”
Actor Ryan Reynolds also shared a video of himself cheering on the team following the victory.
What’s next for Canada?
Canada’s World Cup journey continues on July 4 in Houston, where it will face the winner of the Round of 32 matchup between the Netherlands and Morocco.
