The Canadian men’s soccer team will head to the World Cup and it will be armed in Qatar this November.
“The sword is a symbol of ‘New Canada,” Herdman said after defeating Jamaica with 4-0 on Sunday for the first time in a football show since Mexico ’86.
That tradition derailed somewhat during a trip to Central America last week for Costa Rica. La Nacion, a Costa Rican newspaper, said customs officers confiscated the sword when a Canadian team arrived on a charter because of “regulations controlling the types of weapons that could enter our country.”
The newspaper published a photo of the sword, in a black carrying case with a red lining. The handle has the word Qatar 2022. Without the sword, the Canadians saw 17 undefeated streak in the CONCACAF qualifying end with 10 defeats to Costa Rica.
Canada played two-thirds of Thursday’s match with 10 players after midfielder Mark-Anthony Kay was sent off with a second yellow card.
But there was a happy ending. Armed with a sword, the Canadian increased his qualifying record to 14-1-4 with the remaining one match on Wednesday in Panama.