"Is that a tampon?": Canada has interesting way to treat FIFA World Cup injury
Earlier this month, Canadian national team captain Atiba Hutchinson lived out a lifelong dream and made Canada’s FIFA World Cup roster at the ripe age of 39.
He’s the oldest outfield player at the tournament and has spoken many times about how he considered retirement before deciding to extend his career with hopes of playing in a historic World Cup for Canada.
On Sunday, Hutchinson registered his 100th international cap with Canada, getting a start for their group stage match against Croatia.
And it’ll be a memorable game for many reasons, although probably not the ones he would’ve liked.
Sure, Canada lost 4-1 and ended their FIFA World Cup hopes, but that’s not what had many fans, er, excited about how exactly Hutchinson dealt with an injury.
Dealing with a nosebleed in the second half, the Canadian medical staff appeared to offer Hutchinson a tampon to stick right up his right nostril.
Fans and media had a field day with it, with many of them drawing comparisons to the 2006 Amanda Bynes comedy She’s the Man, where the title character, Viola Hastings, dealt with a nosebleed in the same fashion.
The Canadian national team has clearly watched and taken inspiration from 2006 rom-com soccer classic SHE'S THE MAN. No choice but to respect pic.twitter.com/IoPgLwkvia
— Ella Brockway (@ellabrockway) November 27, 2022
Is that a tampon 😭😭😭 https://t.co/rFFa8M21bS
— F4ST. (@F4STFATI) November 27, 2022
Have amended Atiba Hutchinson’s Panini sticker to reflect his striking new look pic.twitter.com/I2SNfZyQxm
— No Score Draws ✍️ (Alex & Sian – BOOK OUT NOW!) (@CheapPanini) November 27, 2022
i know for a fact that they did not just send that man out there w tampon in his nose. #Can
— Melina Dautović (@melinadautovic) November 27, 2022
MY BROTHER IS PLAYING A WORLD CUP WITH A TAMPON ON HIS NOSE pic.twitter.com/lKt3Tmjj1Q
— Dost 🤙🏻🇲🇽 (@BallonDost) November 27, 2022
“Beckham does it all the time”@atibahutchinson takes a page from iconic 2006 soccer movie ‘She’s the Man’ #canmnt #Tampon pic.twitter.com/A4ibopuRZi
— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) November 27, 2022
Men freaking out at seeing a tampon string on national TV is hilarious to me
— Ali (@AliCampbellWPG) November 27, 2022
We’re really hanging on by a tampon’s thread
— Kayla Grey (@Kayla_Grey) November 27, 2022
This World Cup is fake. you lot see brudda on the Canada team w the tampon in his nose right? pic.twitter.com/yuUWeAUWKl
— MARIO KLART (@FckDaWRLD) November 27, 2022
i know for a fact that they did not just send that man out there w tampon in his nose. #Can
— Melina Dautović (@melinadautovic) November 27, 2022
So football medical kits have tampons in them 😂😂 #CROCAN #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/sBuRnsIHdL
— Chunlili (@Sis_chunli) November 27, 2022
Not a TAMPON being the hero Team Canada didn’t know they needed 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
— Ashley Docking (@SmrtAsh) November 27, 2022
It was hanging in the wind, loose string and all, before Hutchinson was eventually subbed off the field in the 73rd minute in exchange for Samuel Adekugbe, with Canada down 3-1 at the time.
To die-hard Canadian soccer fans, Hutchinson has been a source of inspiration for years.
He’s one of the key reasons they even made it to the FIFA World Cup after 36 years away, scoring a bizarre game-winning goal in February during CONCACAF qualifying.
But to the greater world audience, he’ll probably best be known as the guy who put a tampon up his nose.
Well, you can’t always choose how you’re remembered.
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