‘This is huge’: Windsorites cheer on Team Canada’s men’s soccer team
Soccer fans came out in droves Wednesday for the first game in Canada’s historic return to the World Cup.
“I remember ‘86 the last time they went. It’s just mind-blowing that they’re there,” said Mike Whaley a member of the Voyageurs, the official fan club of Canadian soccer. “I’ve been a hardcore fan for 11 years. It’s special.”
Whaley was one of the people watching the World Cup action on TSN inside the Manchester Pub in downtown Windsor.
“This crowd here, it’s just mind-blowing,” he said.
It was standing room only with every television tuned into the game for nearly two hours Wednesday.
Among them, Marjorie Sakalo, who's interview with CTV News was drowned out several times by the excited crowd.
“It’s amazing! People from all generations (and) all ethnicities, people that might have cheered for Italy but we’re Canada today,” she said.
“This is huge for Soccer Canada,” said Shane McGowan who believes Canadians are starting to realize what a great sport soccer is.
“It's not just (like) hockey. ‘Skate fast. Go hard.’ It's a chess match, and I think the rest of Canada is catching on,” said McGowan.
“I wish I was in Qatar right now but I’m not, I’m here with my people,” said Tayo Ajasa. “I’m Nigerian by birth but like I’m Canadian now, I’m Nigerian-Canadian now you get me? It’s Canada all the way and we’ve waited so long for this!”
Although the crowd would go home disappointed with a 1-0 loss for Canada, they are still proud of the red and white.
“I’m supporting Team Canada in our first World Cup in a long time,” said Sakalo.
“We are lucky this year,” said Sonny Saadat, owner of Flag and Sign Depot in Windsor, who needed to buy Soccer Canada flags for the World Cup for the first time in his company’s 30-year history.
“Every four years (this is) happening. So we have lots of customers. New customers and (old ones come back). That's the advantage of the World Cup,” said Saadat.
The Flag & Sign Depot has flags of all World Cup soccer countries in stock in Windsor Ont. on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. (Michelle Maluske/CTV News Windsor)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.