Young Sask. soccer players excited to watch Davies, Messi and Ronaldo during World Cup

Benjamin Stanzel fell in love with soccer as a little boy when he was watching his older sisters play the game.

Now the 13-year-old year old from Saskatoon is pursuing his own soccer dreams, and isinspired by the Canadian men's team competing in a World Cup for the first time since 1986.

"Before I could even walk I would like to kick the ball around that was half the size of me," said Stanzel on Saturday.

"I'm so excited to watch [Team Canada] play. It has been multiple, multiple, multiple years since they've been in the World Cup, and hopefully they can make us proud by getting far."

The young athlete practises with the U-15 team of the Eastside Youth Soccer Association in Saskatoon.

His dream is to play for Team Canada or at least watch a game in 2026 at the next World Cup when the event will take place in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

This year's World Cupin Qatar kicked off on Sunday, with the hosting team losing2-0 to Ecuador.

Alphonso Davies is role model

Like one of his older sisters, Stanzel loves playing as a goalkeeper.

He has been keeping an eye on Team Canada's goalie Milan Borjan, the team's No.1 keeper.

However, Stanzel's favourite Canadian player is Alphonso Davies, and the 13-year-old is not alone inthat opinion.

"I'm excited to watch Alphonso Davies because I think he's a great player," said Stanzel's teammateFinlay Tomczak.

"Hopefully [Team Canada] can make a deep run and do pretty well."

Tomczak also started playing when he was a little boy, and now practises three to four times a week, he said.

Seeing Team Canada qualify for the World Cup is a motivation for the 14-year-old.

"That could be maybe me one day, or it could be players that I know," said Tomczak.

The teenagerbelieves Canada has a decent chance of making it past the group stage, something his teammate Winston Lin also hopes for.

"I want to see Canada do well, finally show the world that we're better than we used to be," said Lin.

Canada's national women's soccer team has been successful, he added.

But the men's team "has never been known to be good," said Lin.

"I want that to change."

The three athletes' volunteer coach Kevin Cuff is equally excited to see Team Canada play at the World Cup.

Originally from Unity, Sask., the coach started playing the sport as an adult.

"[My] hope is that Canada wins it all, for sure," said Cuff.

"I think they have a good chance to get by the group stage and surprise the rest of the world."

Canada is set to play its first game in Group F against No. 2 Belgium on Wednesday, followed by matchesagainst No. 12 Croatia and No. 22 Morocco.

While the coach and his players all cheer for Team Canada and Davies who usually plays with Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga they all are also eager to watch Argentina's Lionel Messi do well at the World Cup.

"Other than Canada, I wanna see Portugal and Argentina, Messi and Ronaldo," said Lin.

"Their last World Cup, I wanna see that. Probably the best two players of our generation."