There are many countries that have national soccer teams with plenty of history, such as El Salvador. Many people might not think of Canada when they think about soccer. However, the Canada men’s soccer team has been on the rise for a few years. They made it to the 2022 World Cup, which was the first World Cup Canada qualified for since 1986.

A number of Canadian players now play in Europe, most notably Alphonso Davies, a star player for German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. He is far from the only notable Canadian soccer player. Without further ado, here are some of the best Canadian men’s soccer team players right now.

Best Canada Men’s Soccer Team Players: Alphonso Davies

It makes sense to start with the most high-profile member of the current Canadian’s men’s national soccer team. Alphonso Davies started his professional career with the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS. Davies made 65 appearances from 2016 to 2018 for the Canadian club, notably scoring both goals in a 2-1 win in his final game with the club. Davies’ performances drew the attention of many European clubs.

Bayern Munich signed Davies in January 2019, paying a $13.5 million fee for the left-back. This was an MLS record sale at the time. Alphonso Davies has improved even further with Bayern and enjoyed immense success with the club. Davies has won five Bundesliga titles, two DFB Pokal trophies, and a Champions League title with the German giants. Additionally, Davies is only 24 years old and figures to be a star for Canada for quite some time.

Davies has become such a star that there is even a book about him.

Jonathan David

Jonathan David is another one of Canada’s best male soccer players right now. David began his professional career with K.A.A. Gent in the Belgian Pro League. David scored 30 goals in 60 appearances for the Belgian club from 2018-2020. His performances caught the eye of many top European clubs.

Ligue 1 team Lille signed Jonathan David for 30 million euros in 2020. This makes David the most expensive Canadian soccer player ever at this point. David has pace, passing ability, goal-scoring ability, and works hard defensively. Also, the Canadian forward is 25 and will likely lead the line for Canada for the next decade.

Stephen Eustaquio

Stephen Eustaquio has enjoyed a remarkable rise in recent years. The Canadian midfielder primarily played in Portugal before a two-year stint in Mexico with Cruz Azul. Eustaquio returned to Portugal with Pacos de Ferreira before being signed by Porto in 2022. Eustaquio is a very good midfielder, capable of winning the ball consistently, passing the ball well, and understanding the tactical state of the game clearly.

As a defensive midfielder, Eustaquio protects his team’s defense well and can contribute to the attack with his passing. So far, Eustaquio has made 47 appearances for the Canadian men’s soccer team. He is a bit older than Davies and David at 28, but he should remain a consistent first-team player for Canada for the foreseeable future.

Best Canada Men’s Soccer Team Players: Alistair Johnston

Alistair Johnston is another one of the top players on the Canadian men’s soccer team right now. Johnston’s career began with Canadian semiprofessional team Vaughan Azzurri, a team that plays in the semi-professional League 1 Ontario men’s division. He played with the semi-professional team for five years from 2015 to 2020. Johnston balanced college and soccer at this time, so he only made 15 appearances.

However, this changed in 2020. Nashville SC of the MLS drafted him 11th overall in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. As a result, Johnston became a fully professional soccer player for the first time. Johnston made 44 appearances for the club from 2020 to 2021 before CF Montreal paid $1 million to sign him. The Canadian MLS team signed him in December 2021 to boost their prospects of success in the MLS.

The right-back made 33 appearances for CF Montreal and scored four goals for the club. This helped continue his rise to prominence and he was now a more experienced professional player. Johnston’s excellent performances in North America attracted European attention. Scottish giants Celtic FC signed Johnston in December 2022.

Johnston has enjoyed incredible success as he has continued to play well. Johnston has won the Scottish Premiership title twice, the Scottish Cup twice, and the Scottish League Cup twice. Additionally, it is likely that he will enjoy further success in the current season with Celtic. Celtic are currently 13 points clear of their rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. The right-back has made 51 appearances for Canada and will likely remain the nation’s starting right-back for a while yet.

Tajon Buchanan

Tajon Buchanan is one more of the best Canada men’s soccer team players right now. Buchanan started his professional career with New England Revolution in the MLS, being drafted ninth overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft after spending a year with semi-professional team Sigma FC. Buchanan made 60 appearances for New England Revolution. The last 10 appearances he made for the MLS Club were after Belgian club Club Brugge signed him for $7 million and loaned him back to New England Revolution.

He played 50 times for Club Brugge, excelling in his role as a wide midfielder for the club. He scored four goals during his time with the club, which lasted from 2021 to 2024. Italian giants Inter Milan signed Tajon Buchanan in January 2025 for seven million euros and loaned him to La Liga club Villareal. Buchanan became Serie A’s first-ever Canadian player.

Tajon Buchanan has exceptional technical skill and speed, playing well as a winger, full-back, or wide midfielder. Buchanan won a Supporters’ Shield with New England Revolution. He has since added two Belgian Pro League titles, a Serie A title, and a Italian Super Cup trophy to his trophy cabinet. In terms of his international career, Buchanan has been a regular for Canada since 2021. He has played 43 times for Canada and scored four goals.

This included representing Canada at the 2022 World Cup.

The Canada men’s soccer team is ranked 31st in the world by FIFA. Canada looks likely to challenge Mexico and the United States as the best soccer team in North America moving forward.