By Carmelina Moscato, Canadadian National Team midfielder:
The end of 2010 marks the end of the most successful year in Canadian soccer history, both male or female, with the women’s national team not only winning CONCACAF and qualifying for the 2011 World Cup, but winning every other major tournament they were in this year. Currently on a 10-game unbeaten streak, the Canadian Women’s National team begins 2011 preparations and the six-month countdown to the World Cup with positivity, motivation, and inspiration moving forward.
Being a player on our national team, I can only say that this year has been a dream come true for us. Last February, when Carolina Morace, Italian international scoring great, took over our program there has been a constant push for change. She inherited a group of players that looked, ate, and played very differently than what she believed would ultimately be a world calibre team. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but as everybody (both players and staff) began to morph slowly but surely onto the same page, it has only meant success in all aspects on the program, on and off the field.
Straight-shooting Morace tells you how it is, and her honesty has pushed all of us to new levels of physical, mental, and psychological states. It is because of this that players who have been playing soccer for years internationally are only now finding the highest quality in their play and becoming smarter every training session.
I feel lucky to be part of the Canadian National team, and the past 22 months under Morace has brought everyone closer together. It for this reason we were able to beat Mexico, 1-0, in the CONCACAF final in Mexico against an enthusiastic local crowd. We were able to do it again on December 19th, taking on the talented Brazilian National team in front of 20,000 screaming fans (or haters) and tying them, 2-2, which proved good enough to win the Four Nations Tournament on goal differential.
Momentum is key, and although there may be some more ups and some more downs leading into next year’s World Cup in Germany, we are on board, and ready to change Canadian Soccer history as we know it!