

Posted by

David Monsalve ,

June 19, 2014 Email

David Monsalve

On Twitter:

@davidamonsalve

With the World Cup now in high gear, it isn’t only a special time for those in Brazil. It is also a very a unique and special time for a very large number of Canadians.



Even though I’m watching this current World Cup in Finland, it is not hard to imagine the electric atmosphere back in Toronto.



While the World Cup is undoubtedly a big deal in many places in North America, I can only speak for the city I grew up in when describing its insane love for the beautiful game.



If I was to approach any European and say to them that “Toronto is a bigger soccer city than your whole country is”, many would laugh and call me crazy. But in most cases I would be right.



There are 11 European countries that get to support their teams, stay up late to catch the games and have an excuse to show up for work late(if at all) the day following their team’s game.



Who do the rest of the 42 countries cheer for? For countries such Latvia, Albania, Norway and Finland there’s not much passion behind cheering for a team. Sure, they have their favourite players they’d like to see succeed or a favourite team that may be a reflection of the club team they support. But if “their” team was to lose, would they really be upset?



“Football in Canada does not exist” would likely be a common response from many Europeans and, in some ways, rightfully so. Canada has only been to one World Cup and it was 28 years ago. So for a football nation in the same position of not going to the world cup, it is hard to see why a city in Canada would have more World Cup passion than most of the European continent. But if you are like me, a Torontonian who's experienced at least one major football tournament in the city, you would easily see the insanity that hits every four years.



Flags on cars, mini world cup tournaments, festivals and viewing parties that have all the bars at capacity are all things you see during the World Cup in Toronto. With most countries in the World Cup being represented by huge communities, it would be very hard to name teams that won’t be well supported. With areas like the Danforth for the Greeks, Woodbridge for Italians and St.Clair being the central area for all communities to unite and show their colours, Toronto becomes a football infested city with passion like no other. It is something that I miss when I can’t be home during the World Cup.



Every day in the city it is a day of celebration and mourning depending on what area you find yourself in.



The city of Toronto has always had and will always have an insane love affair with the beautiful game.



Toronto-born David Monsalve is a professional goalkeeper with Finnish football club AC Oulu. In addition to representing Canada at the U17, U18, U20, U23 and Senior Men’s levels, he has also played for Canadian clubs Toronto FC and FC Edmonton. When he isn’t training and playing professional matches, David also coaches in the Toronto area and is up for discussing anything and everything football-related via his Twitter account, @davidamonsalve.