Sporting Kansas City defender Marcel de Jong was named to the Canada Men’s National Team roster on Thursday for a home-and-away series against Belize in the third round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Canada will host Belize on Sept. 4 at BMO Field in Toronto then travel for the return leg on Sept. 8 at FFB Field in Belmopan, Belize.
“I feel honored to be selected as part of the roster once again,” de Jong said. “I hope to go and help my country as best I can, but like always it’s a hard decision to leave my club team as I really like playing for and representing Sporting KC.”
De Jong has one goal and one assist in 14 appearances across all competitions for Sporting KC since signing with the club prior to the 2015 campaign. The 28-year-old previously played 10 professional seasons in the Netherlands and Germany.
Internationally, de Jong has 36 career caps for Canada with two goals since his national team debut at age 21 in 2007. He has represented his country at each of the past four CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments, including starts in all three group stage matches during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup last month.
Canada, No. 101 in the FIFA rankings, is seeking its first World Cup berth since 1986 and advanced in qualifying with a 6-0 aggregate victory over Dominica in June. The winner between Canada and Belize will proceed to a fourth round of World Cup qualifying, which will begin in November and continue through September 2016.
De Jong will join Canada’s 22-player training camp following Sporting Kansas City’s match at the Colorado Rapids this Saturday. He will be the second Sporting KC player, along with Hungarian forward Krisztian Nemeth, on international duty during the Aug. 31 through Sept. 8 FIFA fixture window.
