'Football was always in our blood': Canada midfielder's journey to World Cup history

'Football was always in our blood': Canada midfielder's journey to World Cup historyImage source, ReutersImage caption, Stephen Eustáquio scored the only goal in Sunday's Canada vs South Africa match.ByNadine YousifSenior Canada reporterPublished18 minutes agoJosé Eustáquio got emotional as he watched his cousin, Stephen Eustáquio, score Canada's history making, game-winning goal against South Africa."I mean, it couldn't be better than that," said José, who watched Sunday's game on television from his hometown of Toronto with Stephen's older brother, Mauro, a retired professional football player and the head coach for local football team Inter Toronto FC."The chest control, the control of the ball, and a perfect shot into the corner," he said, analysing the goal that helped Canada go further in the World Cup than it ever has before. Stephen Eustáquio's goal was the decisive moment that kept the country's World Cup run alive, sending it into the last 16 in the tournament.For the Eustáquio family, it was the culmination of years of sacrifice and dedication that is reflective of Canada's large and vibrant Portuguese community, where a love for the Beautiful Game was passed down through generations and carried across the Atlantic.Canada is home to nearly half a million people of Portuguese descent, many of whom immigrated in the late 20th Century in search of better jobs. Among them were Stephen Eustáquio's parents, Esmeralda and Armando, a couple from the Portuguese coastal town of Nazaré who settled in the small town of Leamington, Ontario, in 1997.Armando, a fisherman in his home country, was able to find similar work on Lake Eerie, while his wife worked in a nearby fish plant.'You are Canadian heroes' - the forgotten hosts making World Cup historyAttributionSportPublished22 hours agoEverything to know about Canada's men's team at the 2026 World CupPublished19 JuneThe...