Hamilton’s Milan Borjan to play for Team Canada in Qatar

Canada’s men’s soccer team will kick off their World Cup journey in Qatar in two days.

The City of Hamilton will have one its own competing in the tournament. Milan Borjan is Canada’s number-one goalkeeper.

Hamiltonian and soccer pro Ian Bennett says it was back in 2006 when a teenage Borjan joined him on local team Hamilton Thunder and remembered a fearless shot-stopper.

“He was like a sponge, he trained a lot, it was a time when he was a 16, 17 year old, training with grown men,” Bennett said.

The 35-year-old begins a World Cup dream with his Canadian teammates as they prep for their first game versus Belgium Wednesday. Borjan has been between the goalposts for Canada since 2012 and leads the current squad with 68 appearances.

Canada Soccer President Nick Bontis who spoke with CHCH News from Al Rayyan, Qatar says Borjan is a trailblazer for Canadian soccer players.

“Milan is like the first player to ever play regularly in Europe and champions league matches, so we’re proud of him,” Bontis said.

Borjan began playing soccer in the former Yugoslavia where he was born. The Serbian and his family came to Canada more than twenty years ago and picked up his game on the soccer fields in Hamilton.

Mount Hamilton Soccer Club says it was in 2005 when he joined the team here after a short spell with the East Hamilton Soccer Club.

Borjan then began his pro career he took his talents to South America and then Europe where he now plays for the popular club Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian Superliga winning five league titles and making more big-time saves.

General manager of Mount Hamilton Youth Soccer Club Carl Horton believes Borjan leaves behind a legacy that leaves an imprint in a growing local youth system.

“The players to this day, especially the keepers we work with, recognize Milan was an influential part of this club, and he’s an idol they can look up to,” Horton said.

Following Canada’s 2-1 win versus Japan last week Borjan suffered a minor injury and is questionable for Wednesday’s opening match.