10 years ago, when he first walked on the turf with Canada’s National Men’s Soccer Team, Samuel Piette had moderate, if not modest, goals. Today, he is part of the first nation in North America to have qualified for the 2022 World Cup, a tour de force which obviously fills him with happiness.
Three days after Canada’s decisive 4-0 victory against Jamaica – decisive by the final score, but also by the fact that it confirmed the country’s first qualification since 1986 at this prestigious universal meeting – Piette returned on his journey with the national team.
joy and emotion
“When I arrived in 2012, I just wanted to be part of this team and contribute in some way. I didn’t know that 10 years later I would have 61 caps with the national team, that I was going to be one of the important members of this team, both on and off the pitch,” Piette said first. , during a CF Montreal videoconference, Wednesday afternoon.
“I could not have said that 10 years later, we would be at the World Cup, that we would be first in this qualifying phase and that we would be so dominant. On the other hand, it feels good to live that, and I think that what is happening to us right now is fully deserved, ”added the Quebec midfielder.
Sidelined since late January with a foot injury sustained during Canada’s qualifying match in Honduras, Piette hasn’t been able to contribute directly to the Maple Leaf’s latest performance. He was nevertheless able to share his joy and emotions with his teammates on Sunday at BMO Field in Toronto.
“During the game, I was sitting in the stands with David Wotherspoon and Steven Vitoria, who were injured, just like me. I think 10 minutes before the end of the match, we were called to ask us to go to the players’ bench to make sure we lived these last minutes with the team, ”said Samuel Piette.
“When the final whistle sounded, I was able to run onto the field. It was something special. It was a dream come true. […] It was a special moment, and I still experience great emotions, but we have to come back to earth because there is still a lot of work to do. This is a special moment for me, but also for the Canadian population in general. »
If the present fills him with happiness, Piette also sees the future of Canadian soccer with great optimism. “I know that for most people who follow us from the outside, this is a historic moment.
Yes, it’s big what we did and, obviously, we too, internally, we are very proud and very happy,” said Piette.
“On the other hand, we know that this is only the beginning, that we still have a lot to prove and that we are able to demonstrate, not only to the country, but to the football world, that Canada is a power and that he is able to compete with the greatest nations of this world in this sport. We are ready to go to the World Cup, to face the big teams and to be able to measure ourselves, compare ourselves to these big countries. »
Gradual recovery
While Piette hasn’t been able to play a direct role in Canada’s World Cup qualification in recent games, he hasn’t been able to help his regular side get off to such a positive start in the Champions League either. of Concacaf than in MLS.
In eight matches on both tables, the troop of Wilfried Nancy collected a single victory – in the Champions League against Santos Laguna -, suffered five defeats and drew two draws.
With their record of 0-3-1 in MLS, CF Montreal will be looking for their first victory on Saturday when they visit FC Cincinnati.
At least Piette has resumed some form of training, but he is unable to establish a timeline for a return to play.
“My foot feels much better. It’s a wound that’s a bit strange, it’s a mixing of several things. It’s not just one thing to be cured, but several at the same time. I’m getting better, I started running last week, and a little more intensely this week with changes in direction,” he said.
“We found the grounds, apart from the group, of course, but quietly not quickly, we are making a comeback. We also don’t want to cut corners and cause a relapse to occur. So we take our time. But it looks good for now. »