There’s something about rhythm.
For Canada men’s national team and Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Ali Ahmed, the start of 2025 has included plenty of that. The 23-year-old is enjoying consistency and stellar form, leading to a transformative period for club and country.
Ahmed has been critical to the Whitecaps’ historic four-win start in MLS and their run to the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals.
Now, he’s in CanMNT camp for the Concacaf Nations League Finals, with a semifinal against Mexico looming on Thursday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (10:30 pm ET | Paramount+, OneSoccer, Univision).
“It’s been a little hectic the last few weeks, and the travel has been hectic too. But there’s a big balance there with the amount of playing time I’ve gotten,” Ahmed told MLSsoccer.com.
“Coming into [camp] now, it's like a different mindset, knowing what's at stake. You forget how many minutes or games you’ve played. Honestly, it’s just tunnel vision on that one goal.”
Forward progress
Ahmed, who played significant minutes under Canada coach Jesse Marsch in the team’s 2024 Copa América semifinal run, has taken on a similar role with the Whitecaps under new manager Jesper Sørensen.
The new culture and depth surrounding Sørensen’s Whitecaps are similar to the CanMNT, making the switch back to Les Rouges even easier.
“At Copa América, we had one game where we made many changes, and everybody stepped up and matched many of the qualities of the starting 11,” said Ahmed, who can play numerous midfield positions.
“That’s similar to what we have with the Whitecaps right now. Whoever steps up is still matching that same bar and quality as the core players.”
This week, Ahmed brings that unique form into Canada camp. So do many of his international teammates as they seek the team’s first trophy since the 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup and vital preparation for co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Each camp is a step and opportunity for us to go and take towards 2026,” Ahmed added. “Many guys see each camp as an opportunity to prove and show why they belong and deserve to be a part of the core and roster for the coming year.
“This is another opportunity for us to step in and fight for our country, our spot and play in big games like the Nations League semifinals, which can help us prepare for big matches.”
CanMNT strong
When Marsch named his 23-man Nations League roster, featuring eight MLS players, he called it “the strongest that the Canadian national team has ever looked.”
While the team has often relied on a close-knit locker room, they’ve added quality in numerous spots and elevated the camaraderie with game-changing talent.
“These guys love playing for the national team, right? There’s no question that they feel a real bond with each other, and that’s been developed not just since I’ve been here, but before,” Marsch told reporters Tuesday.
Through just 10 months of Marsch’s leadership, the CanMNT have seen Nashville SC winger Jacob Shaffelburg become a reliable contributor and center back Moïse Bombito move from the Colorado Rapids to Ligue 1 for a club-record fee.
Canada have also improved their depth in this camp, earning dual-national commitments from strikers Promise David of Belgium’s Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Daniel Jebbison of the Premier League’s AFC Bournemouth.
As exciting as those developments are, Marsch keeps his eyes on the grand prize.
“I think, more than anything, the players really want [to win a trophy],” Marsch told reporters on Tuesday. “They really feel like they’ve worked really hard to continue to develop the level and the respect of the Canadian national team.”
Feisty affair
For Canadian players, Thursday represents more than an opportunity to impress. While they experienced significant crowds against Inter Miami CF superstar Lionel Messi and Argentina last summer, facing Mexico at SoFi brings another level of intensity.
It’s not lost on the group how physical things might get.
In a scoreless September 2024 friendly, Mexico committed 24 fouls, the most any team has against Canada since Marsch took over. While Canada may be unable to control the match as they hope, the intensity can only sharpen them ahead of a potential Sunday final against the USMNT or Panama.
“We have some respect now, and people look at us differently,” Ahmed said. “This might be an ugly match, but we have got to find a way to pull out from a gritty and aggressive performance.
“They know what we can do, and how they think they can stop it is to be aggressive, but I think we’re much more prepared for it now.”
