Canada’s Maxime Crépeau Reflects on World Cup Win and Emotional Moments

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — In Canada’s historic 6-0 victory over Qatar at the World Cup, goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau found himself caught between the excitement of the crowd and his responsibilities on the field. After the match, he shared a humorous moment when fans urged him to take a shot on goal. “I swear I had the little devil here saying do it and the little angel said just pass the ball and go back,” Crépeau laughed, recalling how he resisted the temptation to join the offensive play.

Despite Canada dominating the game, Crépeau did not face any shots from Qatar, further solidifying the team’s chances of advancing to the knockout stage, with their next match set for Wednesday against Switzerland. Coach Jesse Marsch praised Crépeau’s contribution, stating, “Max’s presence was really important yesterday. But let’s be honest, he hardly had anything to do. I don’t think in World Cup history, there’s been such a dominant performance.”

The match was marked by chaos, including two red cards for Qatar, which left them with only nine players, and a severe injury to Canadian midfielder Ismaël Koné, who suffered broken bones in his leg from a tackle. Crépeau was quick to support Koné, understanding the emotional and physical toll of such injuries, having experienced a similar situation himself last year when he broke his leg during the MLS Cup.

Now with Orlando City after his time with LAFC, Crépeau expressed his empathy for his fellow teammates, particularly in supporting 20-year-old defender Luc de Fougerolles after the injury. “Every guy lives the emotions a certain way, and we went through the emotions in that time,” said Crépeau. “It’s just a moment to say, ‘Hey, you’re not alone. I’m feeling the same thing as you, but we have a job to finish for him.’”