Canadian Soccer Association marks 100th anniversary with celebration countdown

The Canadian Soccer Association officially celebrates its 100th birthday on 24 May 2012, kicking off a 10-day countdown towards the Association’s Centennial match on 3 June at BMO Field. As part of the celebration, the Canadian Soccer Association has unveiled the first of “Top-10 Moments” in Canadian soccer history, released the voting details for the Association’s “All-Time Canada XI” for men’s and women’s football, and announced The Soccer Hall of Fame’s two teams of “Best XI in 50 Years”.

“The Canadian Soccer Association is pleased to celebrate its past, present and future as we continue our year-long tribute to 100 years of the beautiful game in this country,” said Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani. “We look forward to having Canadian players, coaches, administrators and fans from the grassroots through to our National Teams join in the celebration.”

The Canadian Soccer Association’s “Top-10 Moments” will be unveiled one per day from 24 May to 3 June 2012, with each vignette featured at the newly-launched centennial commemorative website at migmultidev-canada-soccer.pantheonsite.io/100. The first moment commemorates Canada’s debut match in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 1957.

Voting for the “All-Time Canada XI” commences Monday 28 May and runs through Saturday 2 June (also via migmultidev-canada-soccer.pantheonsite.io/100). Fans will be asked to select their top 11 men’s footballers and 11 women’s footballers of all time. The Association’s two “All-Time Canada XI” teams will be unveiled at the Association’s Centennial match on 3 June 2012 at BMO Field.

Fans will make their selections from a voter’s list of 100 Canadian footballers. The list features 77 men from the 100 years since Canada’s first national competition in 1913 and 23 women from the 30 years since Canada’s first national women’s competition in 1982. In all, the list includes 76 honoured members of The Soccer Hall of Fame.

Of note, pre-1912 football stars are not included on the voters list, which means turn-of-the-century honoured members Walter Bowman and Walter Thomson are precluded. Also of note, the youngest active player is Diana Matheson at age 28, so left just off the list were younger active stars like Brittany Timko (26 years of age, already 100 appearances for Canada) and Simeon Jackson (25 years of age, already a one-time Canadian Player of the Year).

The Canadian Soccer Association celebrates its 100th anniversary throughout the 2012 calendar year. While soccer (football) has been played in Canada since 1876, the Canadian Soccer Association (or the Dominion of Canada Football Association as it was known in the day) was inaugurated on 24 May 1912.

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