Canada midfielder Stephen Eustáquio says the team must remain focused despite celebrating a historic 1-0 victory over South Africa that saw them reach the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, www.aclsports.com reports.
Eustáquio scored the decisive stoppage-time goal to send Canada through and deliver their first-ever World Cup knockout victory.
Reflecting on the moment, Eustáquio praised the team’s unity and mentality but insisted the journey is far from over.
“We’ve worked for this. As a group, we have something special. We feel like brothers, and when we fight for each other and play for each other, special things like this can happen.
“We’re over the moon, but at the same time the job is not finished. We know we’re going to get Morocco or the Netherlands next, which will be a very hard game. We have to stay humble and reset.”
The midfielder said Canada’s next challenge will require the same level of commitment as they look to continue their World Cup campaign.
“We can enjoy this moment because we’ve made our country proud, it’s the first time we’ve ever won a knockout round game, but we know there’s still a lot of work to do. We recover, reset, and in six days we face another very tough opponent.”
Eustáquio also praised head coach Jesse Marsch after being asked about the passionate speech he delivered to the team after the final whistle.
“I think he deserves Canadian citizenship, honestly,” he said. “He was just telling us to keep pushing. We’re here for the country, it’s the first time we’ve ever won a knockout round, but we know there’s still more to do.”
He added that Canada expected a difficult contest against South Africa, who tested them physically throughout the match.
“We knew South Africa are a very physical side. They’re strong in midfield, they man-mark, they cover a lot of ground, and they made it difficult for us at times, especially with balls into the box.
“We weren’t as clean as we wanted to be, but we stayed compact and stayed calm. In the end, I think we deserved the win.”
Defender Alistair Johnston described the feeling of advancing as a moment the players and fans will remember for years.
“It’s amazing. I’m a bit of a mess of emotions right now. Obviously there’s excitement that we’re still playing, and relief that we managed to get over the line. It was a difficult match, we knew it was going to be.”
Johnston said the importance of the result was not just about the performance, but about progressing in tournament football.
“At the end of the day, in 20 years you’re not going to remember every detail or every mistake. You won’t remember turnovers or individual moments, you’ll just remember that you advanced. And that’s what mattered today.”
Johnston also highlighted the wider significance of the achievement for Canadian football.
“This is one of those moments you’ll never forget, where you were when it happened. It’s not just history for Canadian football, it’s history for Canadian sport.”
Canada now await the winner between Morocco and the Netherlands for their Round of 16 clash as they look to continue their historic journey at the World Cup.
