Luc de Fougerolles earned high praise from many within the soccer community, including Dwayne De Rosario. The Canadian defender was thrust into a key role and proved himself on the world stage.
de Fougerolles, 20, entered Jesse Marsch’s staring lineup after Moise Bombito suffered an injury before the World Cup. After his impressive performances, Marsch rewarded the 20-year-old with more playing time.
Marsch included de Fougerolles in his starting lineup, playing him alongside Bombito, in Canada’s Round of 16 clash with Morocco. While he made some mistakes, the Fulham center-back was a bright spot for the nation.
de Fougerolles finished the tournament having played in all of Canada matches. In five matches, the 20-year-old played the full 90 minutes in three of them.
de Fougerolles is now in the discussion along with Ismael Kone and Niko Sigur as important pieces for Canada’s future.
Given the age of Canada’s backline, de Fougerolles could continue playing a key role. He will certainly aim to build on his first World Cup when he returns to Fulham. The experience he gained could serve him well and give him more confidence as he looks to earn minutes at Fulham this season.
Dwayne De Rosario Praises Canada’s Luc de Fougerolles for World Cup Performance
Dwayne De Rosario praised Luc de Fougerolles for his World Cup performances and for playing a key role for Canada.
De Rosario, a Canadian soccer legend and former MLS Cup winner, is beloved within the nation’s soccer community. He continues to give back by providing different pathways for youth players to gain more exposure.
‘DeRo’ expressed his joy with how de Fougerolles managed to perform in high-pressure situations.
“I’m very impressed [with de Fougerolles]. I mean, he came in to fill in [for Bombito] and he’s done well, man. He’s played very solid,” De Rosario told The Game Plan. “It’s a big position to play at 20-years-old. It’s a massive position to play at 20, but he’s done so well. I think to me, he stands out the most.”
De Rosario explained that the 20-year-old’s strong play is even more impressive because he exceeded expectations.
“Okay, if Jonathan David is doing his thing, Cyle Larin is doing things, we expect that from them. You know, when you put a kid in that position as a center-back, that’s a lot. He’s making big plays at crucial times in the game,” De Rosario said. “Whether that’s stepping forward to win the ball, to break up a counterattack, whether that’s winning an aerial duel.”
He added: “He’s taking full responsibility of that role and what’s required at a young age and it shows maturity. I hope he’s going to get a big contract after this.”
Will de Fougerolles be in Canada’s Olympic Plans?
de Fougerolles’ impressive performances at the World Cup could set the stage for an important role on Canada’s Olympic roster.
The men’s soccer tournament follows a U-23 rule, with a maximum of three overage players allowed. de Fougerolles will not be eligible to represent Canada during Olympic qualifying later this month. However, he could be named to the roster should Canada qualify for the 2028 Olympics.
If Canada are not participating in the 2028 Copa America, perhaps de Fougerolles could be included in Canada’s Olympic plans.
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