Canada is back to the World Cup for first time since 1986. Will Iraq join?

A

ASHOOR

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Staff member
Canada just beat Jamaica 4-0 and officially qualified to WC2022 in Qatar!

Both Canada and Iraq made it to the WC once, back in 1986!

Iraq still has a small chance of making it, but it will be tough and have to jump through many hoops. First , they have to beat Syria on Tuesday. If they tie and UAE beat South Korea, then Iraq is out.

If Iraq does manage to win, they then meet Australia, 3rd place finisher from Asia Group B. And assuming they win that game, they still have another hurdle to clear and the toughest: they have to beat the 5th place team from South America (could be one of Peru, Columbia or Chile)

So not an easy task at all for Iraq , but at least Canada finally made it after a 36 year absence!
 
I would like to congratulate Canada for qualifying for the first time in 36 years. It was in 2006 when I experienced the joy and ecstasy of Australia qualifying for the first time in 32 years.

Since this post was made, Iraq has been knocked out and it will be UAE/Australia v Peru for a world cup spot. Australia has the worst team I have ever seen in all the years I have been following them. Part of me wants to see them in the World Cup as they are my team, but I am concerned they will embarrass us in front of the world if they are in.

UAE beat Australia at the last Asian Cup but I am not sure how good their form has been in these qualifiers as there was a huge gap between 2nd and 3rd sport in their group.

We need to wait in June for these play off games. Why did FIFA do the draw before all teams were known? Seriously, FIFA's actions rarely make sense.
 
Bani, also, if they do make it, will be the first WC in a long time with no Tim Cahill , after 4 freaking world cups. That is a legend and joins a rare list of few players (less than 20 all time) who played in 4 WCs.

While I do want a 5th South American team to make it to rival Europe, unfortunately Chile (and South America in general of late) is not that strong to make a difference. So why not Australia?

Hey, how about this: imagine Australia making it and somehow playing Canada? That would be so cool. Although like you said, Australia is not at its best while Canada is arguably the best they have EVER been!
 
Australian soccer has way too many problems. You mentioned Tim Cahill. He was the last remaining player from "the Golden generation". We barely made the world cup in Russia2018 but it was Cahill and our captain Mile Jedinak's goals that got us there.

This time, neither is there and we are struggling to make it. Back in 2006, when our Golden generation was at its peak, we had 7 players in the English Premier League, 3 in the Italian league and 1 in the Spanish league, plus Jason Culina who regularly played Champions league football with PSV. Nowadays, none in the English Premier League, a 19 year old in the Italian Seria A who has declared himself an Italian (in his case, I don't blame him after how he was treated), 1 player in the German league who has never lived in Australia but due to his father being born in Australia, qualifies as an Australian, and 1 in the Spanish league (our captain and goalkeeper, Matt Ryan). Our "star"players play in China or Scotland. and so few do anyway.

We have gone backwards in terms of player development, even though we have a more professional league than 20 years ago. Players are no ambitious like before, opting to play in China for the money instead of testing themselves out in European football. If we qualify, France, Denmark and Tunisia will eat us alive. It is almost better not to qualify so we can fix the problems we have.
 
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