Canada

Jesse Marsch Aggressively Pursues Dual Nationals as Canada Eyes World Cup Glory

As Canadian men's national team manager Jesse Marsch planned the autumn fixtures to conclude 2025, he viewed it as one comprehensive six-match period—rather than three separate two-game segments across September, October, and November.

On Thursday, he announced the squad for November, as the 26th-ranked Canada prepares to finish 2025 with a November 13 exhibition match against 23rd-ranked Ecuador in Toronto, followed by a trip to Fort Lauderdale to face 28th-ranked Venezuela on November 18.

The roster features several surprising adjustments, most notably the dual-national selections of 21-year-old Huddersfield Town keeper Owen Goodman and 28-year-old Middlesbrough centre-back Alfie Jones. Additionally, 22-year-old Tigres UANL midfielder Marcelo Flores joins as a training participant, having previously chosen Mexico's program over Canada.

Sports Illustrated examines three crucial insights from this latest squad selection in the third-to-last window before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Owen Goodman's Surprising Commitment

Goodman's selection arrives unexpectedly. He has previously featured for both England and Canada at youth levels, but was unable to represent Canada at senior level due to eligibility issues. In August, Marsch dismissed speculation about a potential call-up, as Goodman seemed ineligible.

Now included in the roster, considering his age, consistent playing time with Huddersfield, and his Premier League contract with parent club Crystal Palace, he could emerge as the leading candidate for the third goalkeeper position in the World Cup squad.

Goodman was born in England but resided in Canada from age five until his early teenage years, when his family returned to England.

Through this journey, he gained eligibility to represent Canada, despite various complications encountered. Through his mother's heritage, he also qualifies to represent Nigeria, an option that remains available since Canada won't officially cap him given the November fixtures are friendlies.

"I was raised in Canada, born in England, and have spent significant portions of my life in both Canada and England," Goodman shared with Goalkeeper.com in March. "I've represented England at youth level, but considering everything now, I believe my aspiration is to play for Canada. I haven't expressed this to many people, but I'm awaiting a call-up from Canada."

Standing at 6'4", he is taller than both Dayne St. Clair and Maxime Crépeau, Canada's other goalkeeping choices. He has maintained regular starting status at club level over the past three seasons with Colchester United, AFC Wimbledon and Huddersfield Town.

This season, he has featured in eight matches, allowing six goals across all competitions, bringing his career appearance total to 102, a remarkable achievement for any young goalkeeper. During this period, he also received League Two Team of the Season recognition in 2024-25, after recording 21 clean sheets in all competitions with Wimbledon, which secured his transfer to League One Huddersfield.

Goodman won't immediately challenge the competition between recently-named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year St. Clair and Crépeau. However, he is well-positioned to secure a World Cup roster spot and potentially become Canada's future number one goalkeeper.

Alfie Jones and the Centre-Back Rotation

While Goodman represents future potential elite talent, Alfie Jones enters the Canadian setup hoping to secure an immediate starting position. At 28 and as a crucial player in the English Championship with Middlesbrough, he will compete for a starting role in a position where Marsch continues seeking depth.

When at full strength, Canada's centre-back partnership likely features OGC Nice's Moïse Bombito and Rangers FC's Derek Cornelius. However, Bombito has been unavailable for camp due to injury since March, and Cornelius has partnered with 20-year-old FCV Dender defender Luc De Fougerolles.

This window, De Fougerolles is absent from the squad, and Jones—a 6'3" central defender who emphasizes physical play—will receive his opportunity alongside Cornelius. He arrives at camp having played virtually every minute for Middlesbrough this season, before receiving a red card in a recent 1–1 draw with Leicester City.

Eligible through a Canadian grandparent on his mother's side, Marsch hopes his aggressive approach and ability to build play from the back can provide a different dimension to a Canadian team primarily built on pace and attacking transitions.

Without De Fougerolles and Bombito in camp, direct comparisons will be difficult. Nevertheless, the prospect of Canada's top four centre-backs being Bombito, Cornelius, De Fougerolles, and Jones presents an exciting possibility for a previously weak position.

The Influence of Current Form

The dual nationals dominate the headlines, but the influence of current form and club performance remains crucial, particularly with midfielder Junior Hoilett and striker Theo Bair returning to the team after missing the October fixtures.

Hoilett, 35, has demonstrated impressive consistency in the Scottish Premier League with Hibernian this season, contributing two goals and one assist across 516 minutes. With his experience and set-piece expertise, he can continue providing valuable depth for Canada.

His selection comes at the expense of Nashville SC's Jacob Shaffelburg, who is currently involved in MLS Cup playoffs and recently became a father for the second time. Meanwhile, it also adds width options, where Vancouver Whitecaps FC's Ali Ahmed, a preferred player for Marsch, may have limited availability due to playoff commitments.

Marsch also emphasized that form is important, evidenced by his selection of Bair, who has netted seven goals in nine appearances since departing Auxerre in France's Ligue 1 for a loan spell with Lausanne-Sport in the Swiss top flight.

Neither player is guaranteed a World Cup squad position currently, but it demonstrates that the Canadian team continues to reward good form.