Cyle Larin's recent goal surge an encouraging sign for Canada's World Cup team

Chris Jones · CBC Sports

· Posted: Apr 23, 2026 9:16 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 minute ago

If there’s an encouraging sign for Canada’s men’s soccer team, now only seven anxious weeks from a home World Cup, it’s veteran forward Cyle Larin’s remarkable return to form.

Seeing him lead a surging Southampton toward promotion from the English Championship is like watching a once-proud man remember who he was.

In Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bristol City, Larin scored his seventh goal in 17 games since he joined the Saints on loan from Mallorca, his fourth goal in his last six appearances.

The 31-year-old had fallen out of favour in Spain, and at Dutch outfit Feyenoord, where a separate loan ended in February after he failed to score a single goal in Eredivisie action.

He’d also lost his place in Canada’s starting 11. Larin has scored 30 goals for his country but none since 2024, and head coach Jesse Marsch has lately dropped him in favour of Tani Oluwaseyi and Promise David. 

But with Oluwaseyi’s own recent goal drought, and David’s hip injury, Larin might soon regain his former role along with his scoring touch.

Something magical has happened since his arrival in Southampton. He scored a spectacular diving header only three minutes into his debut, lifting the Saints past Watford and, at the time, into 12th place in the league.

The home crowd welcomed him by singing his name, and for the first time in what felt like a very long time, Larin stood up straight and smiled

“You have to cherish these moments,” he said, having become a little too familiar with less happy outcomes. “When you feel good, it translates on the pitch."

Larin has not stopped scoring

He also predicted that he and his new club were about to go on a run. Larin has not stopped scoring since, and he’s yet to experience a loss with his ascendant side.

Southampton has now gone 20 unbeaten and climbed to fourth with two games to play, still in the hunt for automatic promotion and a virtual certainty to compete in the playoff for a third place in the Premier League.

The Saints will also meet mighty Manchester City this weekend with a spot in the F.A. Cup final at stake. There is a growing feeling of inevitability about them, and Larin. At last Saturday’s game at Swansea, Southampton fell behind. 

The instant a well-deserved equalizer came midway through the second half, manager Tonda Eckert told Larin to start warming up: It was time for him to shine again.

He jumped off the bench and began stretching near one of the corner flags, in the same section of the ground occupied by the away supporters.

One boy in the first row stood up and unfurled a Canadian flag adorned with Larin’s name and face. It was an unusual sight in more ways than one—a fan of Southampton, in Swansea, now a fan of Canada, too.

Larin was a menace as soon as he took the field. He pressed relentlessly and marshalled the Southampton attack, issuing a near-constant stream of support and instruction.

He didn’t score.

But in the 90th minute, Cameron Archer did, and Larin was the first to chase him down to celebrate, not far from that Canadian flag. The Saints had won again. Eckert, a 33-year-old German who took over the then-reeling team in November, was effusive in his praise of Larin after the match.

“It’s a proper grown man who came into the dressing room, and he’s fit right in,” he said. “I’ve rarely ever seen someone with that much experience and presence on the pitch combined with so much humility off the pitch.

“He’s only getting better and better. His impact today was outstanding. I think everyone was just so happy to have him on the pitch. Excellent development for him so far, and I’m sure he’ll have a big impact for Canada at the World Cup.”

Recent reports from Spain suggest that Accrete is so enamoured with Larin, his loan from Mallorca will be made permanent this summer. Should Larin and Southampton continue to rise on the same tide, he could become one of soccer’s rarest commodities: a Canadian in the Premier League.

After Eckert completed his adulations in Swansea—“It’s really been fantastic over the last months to have him around”—he began to leave the room.

Then he stopped in the doorway and came back, as though he feared he hadn’t been clear enough, or said enough.

“Top character,” he said, his hands underscoring each word. 

Canada could soon use one of its own.