Eustáquio leads Canada on World Cup debut: “Much as I feel Portuguese…” | OneFootball

Stephen Eustáquio, on loan from FC Porto to Los Angeles FC until June 30, appeared alongside head coach Jesse Marsch at the press conference previewing hosts Canada’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup, against Bosnia and Herzegovina, this Friday at 8:00 p.m. in Toronto.

With Alphonso Davies unavailable through injury, all signs point to the Portuguese-Canadian wearing the captain’s armband in this opener. Eustáquio, who will be playing in his second World Cup after 2022, stressed that “this first game is super important” for Canada’s ambitions in Group B, which also includes Switzerland and Qatar.

“If we don’t win this first game, it creates pressure for the second one, which can be very difficult. We want to start the game really well and get the win. We know Bosnia want the same thing, they are a very strong team. They have shown in the past that when things get tougher, that is when they really fight for the result, so even if we go ahead [on the scoreboard], we know the job is not done yet,” he said.

Asked about the main favorites to win the World Cup, the midfielder replied: “Canada and obviously Portugal, but Canada comes first,” drawing a smile from his coach, who commented: “That’s a great Canadian answer.”

For his part, Jesse Marsch stressed that Eustáquio, after several years of experience in competitions such as the Champions League and with Canada in major tournaments, should not feel the pressure of a World Cup as a burden, but rather as motivation.

“Someone just said: ‘It’s the biggest game of Steph’s career.’ He has probably heard that 40 times, I have probably heard that 40 times, but we understand what this is and, actually, if this is your profession, this is where you want to be, right? Steph wanted to be captain — what a dream. It is a dream to captain a host nation at a World Cup. No one here is afraid of that. In fact, that is why we are doing this. Yes, it is responsibility, yes, it is pressure, but that is what we want, it is something meaningful. I love being on the bench when the stadium is full, the pressure is at its peak and everybody thinks you’re an idiot. And Steph loves the same. He loves being in midfield in all those moments too,” he said in praise.

In the closing stages, the American coach again highlighted the commitment and pride of Eustáquio, and the rest of the players, in representing Canada: “What has always impressed me is that, as much as he feels Portuguese in his heart, he is Canadian. Every one of these guys is incredibly Canadian and the pride they take in wearing the shirt, representing the country, hearing the national anthem... In the U.S., sometimes we had to beg players to sing the national anthem — these guys sing it at the top of their lungs because they want to show the country how proud they are to be here, to be Canadian and to represent what Canada is. They are impeccable in character, work ethic and commitment to one another, and that is what we want to show against Bosnia and in this tournament.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.