Get to Know Team Canada

Jonathan David | Striker

Still in his mid-twenties, the Ottawa-raised striker has already built a resumé across Europe, from prolific early seasons in Belgium to sustained output in France, where he became one of Ligue 1’s most dependable scorers before earning a move to Italian megaclub Juventus last year. His game is built on timing and restraint—less spectacle, more certainty. At the World Cup, he will be Canada’s top striker, a forward who treats penalty-box chaos like a solvable problem. For a team still defining itself, David offers something invaluable: consistency, offensive flair and goals that feel inevitable.

Stephen Eustáquio | Midfielder

Stephen Eustáquio plays the kind of midfield game that quietly decides matches. Born in Leamington, Ontario, before moving to Portugal at age seven, he grew up in the Portuguese system, where his older brother is also a soccer pro. Eustáquaio played for both national teams, but committed to representing Canada in 2019. He’s emerged as the team’s metronome: calm, precise, quietly insistent. His passing favours sequence over spectacle, moving the ball into spaces where others can accelerate. This summer, Eustáquio will shape Canada’s tempo. 

Tajon Buchanan | Winger

Defenders can never fully rest when Tajon Buchanan is on the pitch. The Toronto-born winger quickly broke into MLS with the New England Revolution, where he was runner-up for top young player in 2021. That earned him a move to Europe and steady minutes in the Champions League—rare air for a Canadian. He already showed flashes of stardom four years ago in Qatar; now well into his prime, Buchanan is capable of breaking matches open. Canada will count on him to take some of the weight off Alphonso Davies’s shoulders.

Ismaël Koné | Midfielder

Ismaël Koné quickly made a name for himself in the European leagues and has yet to slow down. After moving to Montreal at age seven and signing with CF Montreal at 19, he rapidly earned top-flight minutes and established himself as one of Canada’s most dynamic midfield prospects. He signed with Watford in England before his 21st birthday and has since developed into a calm but effective midfielder who can turn defence into attack in a few decisive strides. Now 24, Koné offers something Canada has often lacked: exciting attacks from the middle.

Jacob Shaffelburg | Winger

Born and raised in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, Shaffelburg developed a love for soccer in a hockey-dominated province. He made his name with Toronto FC before becoming a fixture of the national team, where his aggressive brand of offence has translated seamlessly to the international stage. Now playing for Los Angeles FC, he has little hesitation in his game: he takes space when it’s offered and creates it when it’s not. In 2022, he didn’t make Canada’s World Cup squad; this time, he’s slated to become the first Atlantic Canadian to ever feature in a World Cup match. 

Dayne St. Clair | Goalkeeper

St. Clair played for the University of Maryland before being drafted by MLS’s Minnesota United in 2019 (he’s now playing alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami). Last year, he was named the league’s goalkeeper of the year and made the all-star team, combining sharp reflexes with a measured presence that rarely spills into theatrics. With Milan Borjan—Canada’s starting keeper for the 2022 World Cup—now in the twilight of his career, St. Clair is expected to accept the torch as the team’s defensive leader. If he’s on his game, he’ll provide the calm assurance that Canada needs.