Soccer player on his first-ever trip to Canada runs into immigration issues while trying to join national team
Some of the top government agencies in Canada are working behind the scenes to try to get a new player into their men’s national soccer team program.
Given the vast diversity of Canada, players of different birthplaces have been commonplace for years for the men’s national team, who are heading into their second straight FIFA World Cup appearance next spring.
But 28-year-old defender Alfie Jones, who plays for English Championship club Middlesbrough, represents a rare case in which he’s set to represent a country he’s actually visiting for the first time.
Due to having an Alberta-born grandmother, the England-born Jones has found himself eligible to wear the maple leaf and was named to the team’s roster for their November international window.
“It’s been amazing and a whirlwind. I’m just so happy to be here, so honoured to be here. I’m trying to soak up every moment,” Jones told Sports Illustrated‘s Ben Steiner about his first trip to Canada. “I knew it was cold, but getting here and seeing snow, I didn’t realize it was that cold. We haven’t seen snow in England for a few years.”
But while Jones was originally hoping to make his Canada debut on Thursday night at BMO Field in what ended up being a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, he wasn’t able to get his paperwork in order in time, including a citizenship oath that he’d be required to take under FIFA rules.
“I’m learning about how this all works in Canada,” Canada head coach Jesse Marsch said following the match. “It’s my job not to accept no for an answer, so I keep trying to push buttons to get this done as quickly as possible.”
Marsch said the wheels are turning to hopefully get Jones available for Tuesday’s match in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, against Venezuela.
“I’ve met a lot of deputy ministers and ministers of different sports and immigration [departments]. And to be fair, everyone’s been very kind and has tried to help us expedite this as much as possible, even on the inside that people are explaining to me how things work, and I don’t like the answers I get,” Marsch said with a laugh.
Should Jones receive clearance and become an official Canadian national team member, Jones has an outside shot at next year’s FIFA World Cup roster. And if that happens, he’ll be bound to have an extended stay in Canada, with all three of the country’s group stage games set to be played on home soil.