Gretzky gives Canadian men's national soccer team pep talk before game in Florida

The Canadian men’s national soccer team received a few words of wisdom from one of the country’s most recognizable faces on Tuesday night.

Before taking to the field for a friendly match against Venezuela in Florida, in which they won 2-0, the Canadian players were visited by none other than Wayne Gretzky for a pregame pep talk.

After shaking hands with each member of the team, the Great One addressed the room.

“I’m excited to be here. I didn’t play a lot of soccer growing up, it wasn’t as popular in Canada as it is now. You guys have helped make it more and more popular. Good for you guys,” Gretzky said.

“I know you’re all excited about the upcoming World Cup. We’re all excited to see you guys play. You should be very proud to represent our country. Congratulations to all your families.”

A Canadian Icon 🍁🏒

Une icône canadienne 🍁🏒#CANMNT pic.twitter.com/LzglpNivCk

— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) November 19, 2025

Before posing for a team photo, Canadian midfielder Stephen Eustáquio presented Gretzky with a custom jersey for No. 99.

“I received one soccer jersey in my life,” Gretzky recalled. “It was a Tottenham game. And they spelled my name wrong.”

During his heyday as a player, Gretzky won three Canada Cups while wearing the maple leaf, the precursor to modern best-on-best international tournaments. And while Canada famously missed the podium at the 1998 Olympics in men’s hockey, Gretzky was part of the staff that assembled the 2002 championship squad in Salt Lake City.

“To be part of winning a gold medal was something I’ll never ever forget,” Gretzky said to OneSoccer’s Kristian Jack. “It was an experience of a lifetime… It’s always been a family, whether it’s the soccer team or the hockey team, the women’s team. Everybody pulls for each other, and that’s what makes sports so wonderful, that you rally for each other and you pull for each other.”

But while most visits of one of the greatest athletes in Canadian history probably wouldn’t come with much controversy, it’s been a bit of a topsy-turvy year for Gretzky in the political realm.

Weeks after attending President Donald Trump’s second inauguration ceremony, the firestorm picked up for Gretzky after his appearance at the 4 Nations Faceoff final.

Selected for the pregame puck drop as an honorary captain for Team Canada, Gretzky came out onto the ice without any red gear at all and appeared to give a thumbs up to the American bench while not extending the same gesture to the Canadians.

With Trump also referring to Gretzky frequently as a “friend” in many public appearances and amid the tariff standoff between Canada and the U.S., the NHL’s all-time leading scorer suddenly became the poster boy for an ongoing trade war between the two countries.

As such, Gretzky’s appearance on Tuesday night led to comments on social media such as “the great traitor” and suggestions that he should be cheering on the American team instead.

Gretzky and his family have downplayed any suggestion that his allegiance lies with the U.S., however.

“I have never met anyone who is more proud to be a Canadian, and it has broken his heart to read and see the mean comments,” Wayne’s wife, Janet, wrote on social media in the days following the 4 Nations final. “He would do anything to make Canadians proud, with his love for hockey and his country. ”

Gretzky, who has lived in the United States for much of his post-hockey career, also confirmed earlier this month that he’s never become an American citizen.

“Canadians are proud,” Gretzky said in an interview on the 100% Hockey podcast. “People are gonna say and believe what they want. Bottom line is, I know in my heart I’m Canadian, stayed Canadian, and a Canadian citizen for life. Simple as that.”

You might also like:
• Kevin Kiermaier appears to be leaving Toronto Blue Jays gig