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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed the country's men's national football team following its historic FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, thanking the players for inspiring the nation despite their Round of 16 exit to Morocco.
The official X handle of the Prime Minister of Canada shared a video message from Carney along with the caption, "Standing tall. Congrats to #CANMNT on their historic World Cup run, where they proved that Canada is a soccer nation." The video, originally recorded after Canada's landmark victory over Qatar that secured the country's first-ever FIFA World Cup win, featured Carney congratulating the squad for their achievements throughout the tournament. "I'll just say, I couldn't be prouder as a Canadian, and on behalf of all Canadians, I just want to thank you for everything you put into getting here, to represent the nation, represent your families and your friends," Carney said in the video. Canada's memorable campaign came to an end on Saturday after a 3-0 defeat to Morocco in the Round of 16, with the Atlas Lions becoming the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals. Despite the scoreline, Canada made an encouraging start and created the better chances in the opening half. Tani Oluwaseyi was denied by an excellent save from goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after breaking through on goal, while Alistair Johnston also came close but saw his header blocked by the Moroccan defence. Morocco found their breakthrough five minutes after halftime when Achraf Hakimi's clever free-kick picked out Azzedine Ounahi, who calmly slotted home from the edge of the penalty area. The co-hosts searched for an equaliser, with Jonathan David failing to convert a dangerous free-kick before Tajon Buchanan tested Bounou with a powerful long-range strike. However, Morocco struck again on the counterattack as Brahim Diaz set up Ounahi for his second goal of the evening. Soufiane Rahimi completed the scoring with virtually the final kick of the match, sealing a 3-0 victory and extending Morocco's unbeaten run to 10 matches. Although Canada's journey ended in the Round of 16, the tournament marked the most successful World Cup campaign in the nation's history. The co-hosts progressed beyond the group stage for the first time and recorded their maiden World Cup victory, achievements that earned widespread praise from supporters and the country's leadership. (ANI)
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