After his adventure in Qatar with the Canadian senior national soccer team, Yannick Girard will experience his second World Cup with the Canadian U17 national team.
“I’m going to Indonesia on Saturday and the U17s start their World Cup on November 5th,” Yannick Girard told the Journal de Chambly. The team’s Chambly-based performance manager is ready to have a third-world experience with the Canadian team. In 2019 he traveled to China again with the U17, with the Canadian senior national team to Qatar and in a few days with the Canadian U17 to Indonesia.
“The players are physically and mentally ready. From September 23rd to October 2nd we were invited to Brazil to prepare with them for this World Cup. » In Brazil, the group only completed two training sessions together before facing their opponents and losing both games. Remember that the Brazilians are the defending champions and four-time winners of the competition. Canada qualified for a second edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in ten years.
“I will use my experience to give the players the best conditions to achieve this. » – Yannick Girard
Experience
The U17s also qualified in 2019, but were eliminated from the competition without a win and without making it past the group stage. The goal this year is to be able to take this step, but above all to win a World Cup game. “It would be a historic achievement because they have never done this before. I will use my experience to offer the players the best conditions to achieve this,” says Mr Girard.
Mr. Girard’s experience and the performances of their seniors over the past few years are generating enthusiasm for this tournament among young Canadians. “Before the Canadian team’s performances, the young people didn’t necessarily feel like they were in their place. This year they approach this competition with much more security and confidence. They have a better personal understanding of themselves and Canada’s importance in football. In addition, there are certainly players of this generation who will experience the 2026 World Cup adventure that will take place here. One thing is for sure: the team is better overall than in 2019,” said Mr. Girard.
Group stage
In their qualifying group, players must face Spain, Mali and Uzbekistan before reaching the final table. “The strong team in the group is clearly Spain. It is difficult to assess the armed forces of Mali and Uzbekistan. The goal is to pass the group phase. »
The 2023 U17 World Cup is the 19th FIFA U17 World Cup, the biennial men’s global football championship for U17 national teams organized by FIFA. This competition, which was supposed to take place in 2022, was postponed this year due to the health crisis.
For Yannick Girard, “the team is ready,” he concludes.
The Canadian U17 team during their camp in Brazil. (Photo: Soccer Canada)
