VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, defender Derek Cornelius, midfielder Russell Teibert, and forwards Theo Bair and Tosaint Ricketts have been called up to Canada's men’s national team for their upcoming training camp and international friendlies this month in Southern California.
The camp includes matches against Barbados on January 7 and January 10, as well as against Iceland on January 15.
This marks the first senior call-up for Bair, who has served Canada at the U-18, U-20, and U-21 levels. Meanwhile, Ricketts makes his return to international duty for the first time since the Concacaf Nations League qualifying in October 2018. Ricketts has 16 goals in 59 caps for Canada MNT.
The trio of Crépeau, Cornelius, and Teibert was involved in Canada's most recent competition at the Concacaf Nations League last fall. Teibert has a goal and two assists in 25 caps, Cornelius has 12 appearances, and Crépeau has played in two matches.
Cornelius was Canada's leading field player with 711 international minutes played in 2019. Both Cornelius and Crépeau are among the five players who took part in every Canada MNT camp in 2019.
Unavailable for this camp before the MLS pre-season were Lucas Cavallini, Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Mark-Anthony Kaye, and Ballou Tabla.
Up for grabs in the friendly versus Iceland are critical FIFA ranking points. Canada currently sit seventh among Concacaf nations behind sixth-place El Salvador. The top six teams in the region, per FIFA rankings, will automatically jump to the final Hexagonal stage of World Cup qualifying, the most direct route to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
“It’s a great way to start the year with three international matches and the opportunity to work with 26 players, including players who are new to the Men’s National Team or have been on our radar in 2019,” said John Herdman, Canada MNT head coach. “Outside of the FIFA window, it is a difficult period to assemble players due to club and off-season commitments, but this gives us the opportunity to introduce young players who we have monitored throughout 2019 and have continued to impress at the club or international level.”
CANADA
GK- Marco Carducci | CAN / Cavalry FC (Calgary)
GK- Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
GK- James Pantemis | CAN / Impact de Montréal
CB- Derek Cornelius | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
CB- Amer Didić | CAN / FC Edmonton
CB- Manjrekar James | DEN / FC Midtjylland
CB- Kamal Miller | USA / Orlando City SC
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | NOR / Vålerenga Fotball
FB- Zorhan Bassong | BEL / Cercle Brugge KSV
FB- Marcus Godinho | GER / FSV Zwickau
FB- Richie Laryea | CAN / Toronto FC
FB- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Tristan Borges | CAN / Forge FC Hamilton
M- Jay Chapman | USA / Inter Miami CF
M- Liam Fraser | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Noble Okello | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Shamit Shome | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Tesho Akindele | USA / Orlando City SC
F- Theo Bair | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Charles-Andreas Brym | POR / Belenenses SAD U-23
F- Jayden Nelson | CAN / Toronto FC II
F- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Jacob Shaffelburg | CAN / Toronto FC
