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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Fasten your seatbelts and brace yourselves. That was the call to action from Canada head coach Jesse Marsch on the eve of Thursday’s World Cup showdown against Qatar, a match hailed as the most significant in the history of the men’s national team.

Marsch made this statement in response to inquiries regarding star striker Jonathan David, who faced criticism following a lackluster domestic debut with Juventus and an unimpressive showing in their opening tournament match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

“Jonathan has scored a tremendous number of goals, right?” Marsch noted. “In the major games, we want him to score, and he will, and he has. He’s not finished scoring, trust me.”

Less than a day later, David made those words a reality by netting a hat trick in a stunning 6-0 victory, marking a pivotal moment for Canadian soccer.

As the match concluded with an astounding number of goals and two red cards for the Qatar players, Marsch celebrated, pumping his fists and thumping his chest as “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes reverberated through the stadium. Meanwhile, left back Alphonso Davies, an unused substitute due to a managed return from a hamstring injury, conducted his post-match cool down on the sidelines.

Davies, regarded as Canada’s greatest male player, played a vital role in securing the World Cup for North America when he addressed the FIFA Congress in Moscow in 2018, urging members to accept the continent’s bid. Witnessing the game from the same stadium where he first shone as a 15-year-old for the Vancouver Whitecaps was a moment of poetic significance.

This occasion will be one for fans to reminisce about in the future, marking Canada’s inaugural victory in a World Cup and serving as a pivotal moment that brought a new generation of supporters to embrace soccer.

“When I came here, the vision was more than just this World Cup,” Marsch stated after the game.

“Undoubtedly, a significant motivation was that it was a home World Cup, but it was also about transforming the sport in the nation, building interest, enhancing expertise… and creating a pathway for the future, establishing an identity for Canadian soccer. You can articulate and plan all the right things, but you need moments like today—moments that everyone will remember. No one will forget this day.”

The celebrations in Vancouver began long before the match kicked off at BC Place. Fans poured toward the stadium by the thousands, a whirlwind of waving flags, enthusiastic chants, and red smoke.

Fortunately, the vibrant home crowd didn’t have to wait long for celebration, as Cyle Larin scored just 16 minutes in, capitalizing on David’s deflected shot. This made Larin the first Canadian male player to score two World Cup goals.

However, this accomplishment was quickly overshadowed by David’s performance. The all-time leading scorer for Canada volleyed in the first goal past Mahmoud Abunada and then netted a second just before halftime, shortly after Qatar’s Homam Ahmed received a red card for a poor tackle at the edge of the penalty area.

David sealed his hat trick in the second half’s stoppage time, joining an elite group including Argentina‘s Lionel Messi as one of the few players to achieve a hat trick in this summer’s tournament.

Unfortunately, the elation was slightly dimmed when midfielder Ismaël Koné was stretchered off in the second half after a challenge by Assim Madibo, who received a red card following VAR review. Koné, a key player on the team, is expected to be out with a broken leg, causing a significant emotional and physical blow.

“The sound of his bone snapping was evident, and your heart goes out to him,” Marsch remarked. “Everybody was a bit shaken after witnessing such a severe injury, especially knowing how vital Ismael is to our team. It’s going to be a significant loss for us.”

The magnitude of Koné’s absence was evident as Nathan Saliba celebrated somberly after taking his place on the field, holding up Koné’s shirt to honor him. Canada scored again soon after, with Mohammad Al Mannai inadvertently directing Jacob Shaffelburg‘s strike into his own net.

The statistics from the match are remarkable. As per Opta, Canada recorded 97 touches in the attacking box against Qatar, which is 26 more than any team has managed in a World Cup match on record since 1966 (the previous record was Germany’s 71 against Costa Rica in 2022). Moreover, Canada became the first nation outside of Europe and South America to score five or more goals in a single World Cup game.

These notable figures are fragments of history that converge to create a remarkable milestone for Canadian sports. With this victory, Canada is now on the brink of advancing to the round of 32; a draw against Switzerland next week would secure their top spot in Group B, setting them up for their first knockout match in Vancouver.

While nothing is assured, Canada appears poised for an unforgettable journey ahead. For fans witnessing this historic moment, all that remains is to heed Marsch’s advice.

Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for takeoff.

It certainly seems to be shaping up to be an incredible ride.