It’s not easy to walk into Jesse Marsch’s Canadian men’s national team a year out from the first FIFA World Cup on Canadian soil.
It’s intense, fast, and brimming with world-class talent, all in an effort to put a defined identity on the pitch next summer. Yet, it’s also a launching ground—a spot for the next wave of Canadians to elevate their game and look towards higher levels.
Last summer, it was Ismael Koné and Derek Cornelius who earned moves to Ligue 1 after standout performances in the Copa América. This summer, a new stage might just be calling for CF Montréal midfielder Nathan Saliba.
“My dreams would be to go as far as I can and get to Europe,” the 20-year-old Canadian central midfielder told Sports Illustrated in a downtown Toronto hotel, hours after he had reportedly agreed to terms with Anderlecht in the Belgian first division.
“I don't want to put ceilings on myself or limit myself. I aim to play at a higher level whenever possible. Hopefully, I can get to Europe and achieve that by the end of my career, but I'd say I'm very happy with how things are going.”
While Montréal has yet to agree on a transfer and has him under contract through 2025, with an option for 2026, Saliba’s future likely lies beyond the shores of the St. Lawrence River.
Over the last two seasons, he’s shown glimpses of just how good he can be, taking over the tempo and pace of games in MLS and attracting Marsch’s attention along the way.
“I think I've made some mistakes in not always including him enough, because I think he's a high-potential player for us,” Marsch said of Saliba in March. “I think he fits a lot of the profiles that we like for a player in that midfield position, so I'm excited to spend more time with him.”
Finding Trust in a New System
In Canada’s opening match of the summer, a 4–2 win over Ukraine, Marsch placed that trust in Saliba, starting him alongside talismanic transitional piece, Stephen Eustáquio, in a midfield double-pivot.
He was one of five starters to have less than eight combined caps between them, and was one of the most impressive players on the pitch, caressing the ball into attacking spaces, and distributing for Tajon Buchanan to attack on the flanks. It all contributed to Canada claiming its first win against European opposition in 17 years.
“Saliba has had a really good week. I tried to remind him of some of the essential themes that we think the game needs to look like,” Marsch said after the match. “He’s very athletic, has excellent balance, can run a lot, is good on the ball, and he has good vision, but he's got the full arsenal of qualities for players that play that position.”
Post-match thoughts from Nathan Saliba 🎙️
— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) June 7, 2025
Réactions d’après-match de Nathan Saliba 🎙️
🇨🇦 🇺🇦 #CANMNT pic.twitter.com/Jqy3a8eSTm
However, much of Saliba’s success over the last few months has come despite his circumstances. In Montréal, he is marred in a team floundering at the bottom of the MLS table, without much talent surrounding him.
In some ways, though, it has helped him refine his approach. While he has been a balanced midfielder over his time in Montréal, his defensive growth and transitional development have been the highlight of 2025, putting him in consideration for Les Rouges.
According to FBref, through 1,260 minutes in MLS this season, he has averaged 2.57 tackles and 0.86 tackles per 90, while also improving his ball progression outlook with 6.07 progressive passes and 1.50 progressive carries per 90.
Saliba’s Development in a Tough Montréal Situation
It has all come amid a fluid coaching situation—Montréal fired Laurent Courtois and replaced him with Marco Donadel early in the season, forcing the young midfielder to quickly adapt and find new ways to thrive in differing approaches at the club level, while also piquing Marsch’s interest.
“It's part of the job to adjust to new coaches,” Saliba said. “With the national team, you need to think faster, play faster and be more physical and sprint more, especially with the way we want to play.”
At just 21, he already possesses remarkable confidence. While he has long been a standout in Quebec’s soccer space, joining Montreal’s academy system at 14, his poise and approach are those of a much older player.
It has allowed him to thrive on the pitch and adapt to fluid environments off it, becoming the game-controlling midfielder that he can be on his day. Now, he offers exciting potential with the national team and a shining light amid a season of poor results for Montreal.
“I’ve still got a lot of things I can work on,” he added. “I really want to be better at progressing the ball on my feet and being more of a threat driving at the opponent.”
As for next steps, though? It’s all eyes on this summer, and delivering with Canada in the national team’s search for a second-ever Concacaf Gold Cup and first since 2000, while also hoping to earn a spot on next year’s World Cup roster.
“This team wants to win every trophy, and that’s the result we want to achieve this summer,” he said. “I want to gain my spot as quickly as possible, and when the World Cup comes, hopefully I'm in a good spot.”
Canada opens the Concacaf Gold Cup against Honduras in Vancouver on June 17, before facing Curacao and El Salvador in Houston to round out Group B.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Canada's Next Star Export—Nathan Saliba is Embracing Every Opportunity as European Rumors Swirl .