Southampton’s PR department has spent a torrid few weeks trying to clean up the internal idiocy of Spygate, but they are about to receive a rare windfall of goodwill from across the Atlantic. More than 3,000 miles west of St Mary’s, the Saints have had an unwitting part in Canadian history.
Canada is on the World Cup board for the first time in history. It made no sense in Qatar four years ago, just as it did during its debut at the World Cup in Mexico ’86. Thanks to Cyle Larin’s latest heroics in Toronto, this voodoo on the biggest stage is over.
One third of a substitute masterclass from coach Jesse Marsch, Larin came off the bench to cancel out Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first-half opener with a stunning half-volley, instinctively striking the ball to send it deflected past Nikola Vasilj and into the side netting. It was a goal in keeping with its importance in the history of football in this country.
Canada smelled blood and could have taken all three points as they increased the pressure on a tired Bosnia team heading into the final minutes. Unfortunately, they had to settle for a draw, but a point in 90 minutes is no better than one in 30 years.
By coming to the rescue of his nation, Larin has entered Canadian folklore. He was the catalyst for this part of the story, which will always have a romantic touch, but solely in the context of this tournament, that goal could prove seismic for Canada’s ambitions to advance from the group. They would have faced a huge uphill battle to get back into contention if Bosnia, their main rival for second place behind group favorites Switzerland, had taken all the spoils. Instead, they will head into their next match against Qatar knowing that a win can put them on the verge of progression, at least as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
But Larin’s path to heroism has not been easy. The 31-year-old has spent endless seasons struggling in front of goal, unable to reach double figures since scoring 23 for Besiktas in 2020-21.
After a dismal loan spell at Feyenoord was cut short midway through last season, Larin, his country’s second all-time top scorer, feared he would head into a home World Cup in the worst form of his career. That was until Southampton came calling.
Larin found new life on loan at Saints in the second half of 2025-26, scoring eight goals in 16 Championship appearances and becoming an integral part of the club’s playoff run. While all that would unravel thanks to espionage-based shenanigans that were beyond his control, he praised Southampton for allowing him to rediscover his shooting boots in time for the biggest tournament of his life.
“He [loan at Saints] It’s given me a lot of confidence,” said Larin before Canada’s first game, making his temporary move to Southampton permanent. “I always knew I could score goals, that was never the problem. It’s more about playing and having a coach who trusted me to do it.
“tonda [Eckert, Southampton manager] He was very important in helping me do that and a big part of my decision to join the club. [in January]. It has given me a lot of confidence to go out and bring him to the national team.
“When you score, it doesn’t stop. The goals don’t stop for me. It’s a rhythm and [it gives you] a confidence to move forward.” In fact, the goals have continued to come.
Toronto’s 44,315-seat BMO Field became the second to fall victim to spotty attendance after Thursday night’s sparsely attended matchup between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, something that owed less to fan apathy and more to the fact that last-minute tickets for the clash were still priced between $1,645 and $2,240 at the Category 1 and Category 2 levels; Unfortunately, the greed surrounding this World Cup is unwavering.
However, those empty seats were barely noticeable when Larin fired. It may not have reached the Azteca’s decibel level a day earlier, but the eruption of noise from the stands (three permanent, one temporary) at BMO Field still made the hairs stand on end.
For all the justified condemnation from Southampton, its coach and the wider operations that occurred in the wake of Spygate, the south coast club played its part in creating this moment of national jubilation, in Canada’s first point in the World Cup. In Toronto, that will be the only Saints-related headline they’ll care about. You might get a classic Canadian thank you.