It is always going to be tough to get out of the group stage, no matter what the draw was, and seeing Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco as opponents just solidifies that. Belgium has been ranked #1 for most of the past two years, and Croatia is the runner-up from 2018. I'll always believe and hope (Herdman's optimism is contagious), but I would be surprised if they actually make it to the knockout round. We're talking about making it to the top16 in the world.............!!! So truly, we can play with joy and no fear knowing that any result will do.
I think that's something that will bother me IF Canada doesn't win a game; that casual fans will crap all over the team and quickly forget what an absolute stunning result this qualifying period was. Don't get me wrong, I do see a path to the knockout round (loss to Belgium, draw with Croatia, win against Morocco is realistic and could do it), but even if they don't, it is still a huge monumental success for the team and the country just to be there. 2026, on the other hand, will bring other expectations...