Owen Goodman has always considered himself a Canadian at heart. However, to be eligible to play for the national men’s soccer team, he had to prove his Canadian ties.
Last month, the 21-year-old goalkeeper, born in England but residing in Alliston, Ontario for eight years during his childhood, received an email from his immigration lawyer in Toronto requesting a Zoom call. Initially, Goodman thought it was just a routine update in his lengthy pursuit of citizenship.
After a moment of dwindling hope due to the prolonged wait, the call brought the news he had been longing for: his childhood residency established his Canadian status both legally and personally. Currently in Toronto for his inaugural senior international window with the national team, including an upcoming friendly against Ecuador at BMO Field on Thursday, Goodman expressed his elation following his first training session.
Upon receiving the momentous call, Goodman shared the news with his English father and Nigerian mother, having previously received call-ups from all three national teams during his youth career. He informed Jan Lang, the Canadian team manager, who immediately notified head coach Jesse Marsch, previously resigned to the idea of Goodman not joining the team.
Completing the final step of his citizenship journey involved traveling to Canada to take his Oath of Citizenship. Despite being on loan at Huddersfield Town from Crystal Palace, Goodman rushed to Toronto after his club’s League One match against Wycombe in late October. Subsequently, he took his oath, embraced Lang, and swiftly returned to England to resume training with Huddersfield.
Describing the conclusion of his protracted journey akin to winning a final match, Goodman expressed his immense relief and joy. His citizenship claim was supported not only by his childhood memories but also by his promising goalkeeping career. Opting to represent Canada over a recent offer from Nigeria, Goodman reminisced about the cherished moments he had experienced in Canada.
Looking ahead, the decision on Canada’s starting goalkeeper for the upcoming World Cup has been a challenging one for Marsch. The competition between Dayne St. Clair and Maxime Crépeau remains intense, with St. Clair holding a slight advantage due to his physical attributes and current form with Minnesota United. Despite the debate on potential third goalkeepers like James Pantemis and Jayden Hibbert, Marsch hinted that the starting spot would likely go to either St. Clair or Crépeau.
Acknowledging the timing of his arrival in the Canadian camp might hinder his immediate consideration for the starting role, Goodman remains content and appreciative of the opportunity. With aspirations of playing in the English Premier League and eyeing a place on the World Cup roster for experience leading up to future tournaments, Goodman remains steadfast in pursuing his dreams.