Stephen Eustaquio scores for Canada in international soccer match

Canada Advances to World Cup Round of 16 with Dramatic Win

In a thrilling conclusion to the first knockout-round match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio scored the winning goal in stoppage time against South Africa at Los Angeles Stadium. The 29-year-old midfielder received the ball on the edge of South Africa’s penalty box and hammered it past diving goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to send his team into the World Cup’s round of 16 for the first time in their history.

Eustaquio, born in Leamington, Ontario, to Portuguese parents, has had a varied career playing for several clubs, including Leixoes, GD Chaves, Cruz Azul, Pacos de Ferreira, and Porto. He made his European debut in August 2020 and scored his first goal in the UEFA Europa Conference League against Larne.

Eustaquio’s personal life has been marked by significant events, including the loss of his mother to brain cancer in April 2023 and his father to a sudden heart attack shortly after. His girlfriend, Constanta, gave birth to their daughter, Benedita, during this time. In an interview with Sports Net Canada in September 2024, Eustaquio’s brother, Mauro, who is now the head coach of Inter Toronto FC, spoke about the family’s decision to come to terms with their grief and honor their parents’ lives.

Eustaquio began his international youth career for Canada at the 2012 AGS Cup and represented Portugal in the U-21 team during the 2019 UEFA European Championship qualifiers. He committed to playing for Canada at a senior level in February 2019 and received his first call-up in October for the CONCACAF Nations League fixture.

In Sunday’s match, Eustaquio was the stand-in captain as Alphonso Davies was injured. After the game, he expressed his emotions, stating that “everything I do is for my family, for my parents, for my girlfriend, for my daughter, for my brother, for my friends back home – for all of them.”

Source: Al Jazeera