Canada midfielder Stephen Eustaquio credited his team’s belief and determination after his dramatic stoppage time winner secured a historic 1-0 victory over South Africa in Los Angeles and sent the co hosts into the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time.
Eustaquio struck deep into added time to seal Canada’s first ever World Cup knockout victory, and afterwards revealed that the players were driven by their desire to reward supporters across the country with a memorable result.
Reflecting on the dramatic victory, Eustaquio said: “I think we worked a lot to get this victory. We really wanted to give this win to all of the Canadians. We just kept believing, kept pushing and I couldn’t have imagined it any other way. I think it was an amazing goal but when I shot, I felt everyone shot with me. They put a little bit of power on it and it went into the back of the net. So I am very happy.”
The Canadian captain also highlighted the importance of confidence and belief during the knockout stages, insisting his side will not fear whoever awaits them in the next round.
Speaking about the team’s mentality, he said: “It started when we came out of the group stage. I think when it comes to the knockouts of the World Cup, the belief brings a big part to it. Now, we’re going to get Morocco or the Netherlands and who knows, on a good day we can make things happen. Probably the quality is not going to be there, but if we keep believing and keep working, things might go our way.”
Eustaquio also reflected on the personal significance of scoring one of the biggest goals in Canadian football history.
He said: “Everything I do is for my family, for my parents, for my girlfriend, for my daughter. For my friends back home. For everyone.”
Canada defender Alistair Johnston described the victory as one of the greatest moments of his career, admitting the magnitude of the achievement had not yet fully sunk in.
Speaking after the match, Johnston said: “It’s one of the most special moments I’ve had on the football pitch. To score a late winner like that and see the emotion, just the understanding and grasping what we’ve just done hasn’t really hit us yet.
“We’ve just won a knockout match at the World Cup. If you told me that five years ago or even a couple of months ago, it would have felt like make-believe. Here we are, we’re still dancing. We have the whole country behind us and we believe. That’s the most important thing and it’s an amazing feeling.”
Canada’s dramatic victory keeps their remarkable World Cup journey alive and sends the co hosts into the Round of 16 with growing belief that they can continue making history. After overcoming South Africa in unforgettable fashion, Jesse Marsch’s side will now prepare for a daunting clash against either Morocco or the Netherlands as they chase another famous result.
