Maxim Kripp returns from a painful break to the 2026 World Cup dream with Canada

Ottawa —
Maxim Krippu, goalkeeper of the Canadian national team, expressed his happiness at returning to his country's squad in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, after a tough experience that deprived him of participating in the 2022 edition in Qatar due to injury.

Krippu said that his absence from the Qatar World Cup due to a broken leg was one of the hardest moments in his career, especially since he had to watch the tournament from home while his leg was in a cast, after everything was set for him to attend with the team.

He added that the first weeks after the injury were the hardest psychologically, as he watched the matches while his friends had booked their trips to Qatar, before starting a long journey of treatment and returning to the fields.

The Orlando City goalkeeper confirmed that he made a promise to himself after that injury not to miss the 2026 World Cup, saying it was unacceptable for him not to be present at the tournament hosted by Canada alongside the United States and Mexico.

His return was completed after the national team coach Jesse Marsh chose him as the starting goalkeeper, ahead of his teammate and competitor Danny Saint Clair, in a decision Krippu described as moving and full of emotions.

He said that informing his wife of his selection as a starter was a special moment, and that she shed tears of joy after years of pain, doubt, and hard work.

Krippu also spoke about his strong relationship with Saint Clair, confirming that the competition between them did not weaken their friendship, but made each of them realize that one would be happy and the other would feel disappointed.

He emphasized that goalkeepers form a "team within the team," and that supporting each other remains essential in both good and difficult moments.

Canada plays in Group B of the 2026 World Cup alongside Qatar, Switzerland, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a participation that holds special importance for the Canadian team and its fans, as it takes place on its home soil and among its supporters.