World Soccer - UK (2020-12)

Canada’s Trailblazers

His first taste of senior football came

in Germany, first with Saarbrucken

and then Hannover, before a headline-

grabbing transfer to Deportivo La

Coruna in 2005 – making him the

first Canadian to play in La Liga.

De Guzman was a massive hit in

Spain, and was voted Deportivo Player

of the Year in 2007-08. After his

contract expired in 2009, he returned

to North America with Toronto FC.

Widely considered one of Canada’s

greatest footballing exports, he retired

in 2016 with 89 international caps to

his name.

Jonathan de Guzman

Two years after his older brother had

left for Marseille,Jonathan followed

in his footsteps, joining Feyenoord’s

academy in1999. By 2005, he had

become a regular in the first team,

notching up109 league appearances.

So well established was De Guzman,

that he eventually became a naturalised

Dutchmen during his time at Feyenoord.

Though born in Canada toJamaican and

Filipino parents, De Guzman lined up for

theOranje14 times.

Spells in La Liga at Mallorca and

Villarreal followed his time in Rotterdam,

before two years on loan at Swansea

City for two consecutive seasons

between 2012-2014.

The free-kick expert was a massively

influential figure at the heart of the

Swans’ midfield, so much so that Italian

giants Napoli came calling, with De

Guzman moving there in 2014.

He was last seen back in Germany

with Eintracht Frankfurt, and is currently

a free agent after his contract expired in

the summer.

Atiba Hutchinson

The Besiktas midfielder is the definition

of a stalwart.

Born in Ontario to Trinidadian

parents, Hutchinson began his career

with Canadian Soccer League team York

Region Shooters in 2002, but made his

name in Sweden – first with Osters IF,

then Helsingborg.

His form impressed Danish Champions

League qualifiers FC Copenhagen, and

over the course of his four years in

Denmark he was linked with a number of

Premier League clubs, before eventually

joining Dutch giants PSV in 2010.

He became a regular starter there

too, winning the KNVB Cup in 2012. In

2013 he made the move to Turkish side

Besiktas where he has made over 200

appearances across seven seasons.

One of the most decorated Canadian

internationals with 84 caps to his name,

Hutchinson was also named in the

all-time Canada XI in 2012.

immigrated to Canada via Zambia at
the age of nine. In1993, having been
spotted playing for North Carolina State
University, she moved to Norway, joining
Toppserien side FK Donn. A brief spell
at Lazio followed, before another
high-profile move toJapanese side
Prima Ham FC Kunoichi in1994.
Having won basically every accolade
on offer inJapan, she returned to North
America in1995, and represented
Canada at three World Cups. She
called time on her glittering career
in 2008 with129 caps.

THE NEW MILLENNIUM
The turn of the millennium saw another
crop of Canadian stars surface at larger
and more prestigious club across
Europe. With increasingly younger
Canadians being snapped up by top
European academies, the calibre of
player being produced was taken to
a whole new level.

Tomasz Radzinski
An energetic and clinical striker,
Polish-born Radzinski moved to Canada
with his family in1990, beginning his
career with the North York Rockets
in the Canadian Soccer League.
Radzinski returned to Europe with
Belgian side Germinal Ekeren, before
joining giants Anderlecht in1998. He
was top scorer in 2000-01, putting in
some electrifying performances, most
notably in Europe where he scored a
brace in Anderlecht’s famous 2-1 win
over Manchester United.
A move to Everton followed in 2001,
where he became a big fan favourite,
notching up 25 Premier League goals
in 91 appearances over three seasons,
before three years at Fulham. He is still
the Premier League’s top-scoring
Canadian, and in 2018 was inducted
into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.

Julian de Guzman
Marseille scouts spotted the elder of
the De Guzman brothers at an early
age, bringing him to Europe in1997.

Tomasz Radzinski...

In Canadian colours

Charmaine Hooper...

Women trailblazer

Jonathan de Guzman...

Representing Netherlands

Radzinski...

Celebrating

for Everton

Julian de Guzman...

The older brother

Atiba Hutchinson...

Still going strong