Canada sucks.
If you are a supporter of the game domestically you've heard that refrain before -- useless, without worth and embarrassment. Outside of the core of the Voyageurs, which might number 1,000 people in total, it's a battle to get soccer fans in Canada to support Canadian soccer. From time to time they will step out and cheer -- the August 20, 2008 game against Jamaica being the best example -- but the casual fan slips back into cheering for the old country soon enough.
The lack of success is the main reason why. As stated, Canada sucks. The Great White North is a land of ice and pucks, not soccer.
But what if we don't suck? Although it's hard to argue against the stark reality of 24 years since the last (and only) World Cup appearance there is more to this game than just the men's national team. Not only does Canada have a thriving participation rate and a club game on the raise (finally), but we also have one of the finest women's programs in the world.
This isn't meant as a you-should-support-the-woman-or-you're-a-bad-person lecture, but rather a call for observers of the game to look at the whole game. If you are going to measure the success of a country at the sport should you not look at the sport in its entirety, with both genders?
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What if instead of having monthly jokes about what two third world nation that Canada is ranked between on the FIFA rankings (Togo and Georgia, by the way) there was a combined ranking of the men's and women's teams. Canada still wouldn't be world beaters, but the ranking would be a lot more respectful. It would likely be better than Togo and Georgia for instance.
Although there is likely a better way to do it, let's add up the two rankings to get a combined ranking score. Then we'll order countries from the lowest score (best combined ranking) to highest. We'll restrict the rankings to countries that are ranked in the top 50 in either the men's or women's list and require a country to have a women's ranking.
Here's what we find:
1. 5 Germany
2. 7 Brazil
3. 16 England
4. 17 Netherlands
5. 19 USA
6. 19 Norway
7. 20 Spain
8. 25 Italy
9. 26 France
10. 33 Russia
11. 33 Argentina
12. 35 Japan
13. 36 Sweden
14. 38 Australia
15. 42 Denmark
16. 47 Portugal
17. 48 Switzerland
18. 49 Mexico
19. 55 Ukraine
20. 55 Czech Republic
21. 57 Korea Republic
22. 59 Nigeria
23. 61 Chile
24. 62 Slovakia
25. 64 Republic of Ireland
26. 66 Ghana
27. 68 Serbia
28. 68 Greece
29. 72 Hungary
30. 74 Croatia
31. 75 Belarus
32. 76 Scotland
33. 77 Slovenia
34. 78 Uruguay
35. 80 Colombia
36. 82 Paraguay
37. 85 Austria
38. 86 New Zealand
39. 92 China PR
40. 93 Canada
41. 93 Belgium
42. 93 Romania
43. 94 Egypt
44. 95 Finland
45. 97 Turkey
46. 98 Bulgaria
47. 98 Côte d'Ivoire
48. 102 Poland
49. 107 Northern Ireland
50. 110 Costa Rica
51. 110 Cameroon
52. 111 Israel
53. 115 Korea DPR
54. 116 Algeria
55. 126 Tunisia
56. 130 Iceland
57. 130 Trinidad and Tobago
58. 140 Bosnia-Herzegovina
59. 156 Uzbekistan
60. 160 Wales
61. 160 Guinea
62. 162 Thailand
63. 170 Vietnam
64. 188 Chinese Taipei
65. 193 Myanmar
So, 40th. China and Belgium. That would set-up less jokes and actually be more reflective of where this country really stands.