'It is a sleeping giant' - meet the Englishman bidding to end Canada's World Cup misery

In England, memories of the 1986 World Cup centre around Diego Maradona, the 'Hand of God' and the wonder goal he scored for Argentina in that quarter-final win en route to lifting the trophy.

Canadian memories of that tournament in Mexico are somewhat different.

Three games, no points, no goals. At least they got there, though, as 1986 remains the only time Canada have qualified for a World Cup.

That record should be improved in 2026, when it is anticipated, but not yet confirmed, their status as co-hosts will bring automatic qualification.

However, under the guidance of John Herdman, the English coach who led the Canadian women's team to successive bronze medal Olympic Games finishes in 2012 and 2016, the men's side are now on the brink of qualification for this year's finals in Qatar.

In the early hours of Friday morning UK time, they play in Honduras. They do so as leaders of the Concacaf qualification pool with six games remaining.

Canada are only two points in front of fourth-placed Panama, with regional heavyweights the United States and Mexico in between. Only three automatic qualification spots are available, plus a hazardous play-off, and star man Alphonso Davies is also missing.

«It is real now,» Herdman told BBC Sport. «We are either going to be 'that team that did' or 'that team that blew it'.»

The loss of Davies, after the Bayern Munich defender was diagnosed with a heart problem, is a major blow.

But the rest of the Canada team that started the superb victory against Mexico in November, including Lille forward Jonathan David and Besiktas frontman Cyle Larin — who scored both goals in the 2-1 win — have all been named in a 25-man squad.

It underlines the growing strength of youth development in Canada — and the