Sporting Kansas City defender Amer Didic was named to the Canada Men’s National Team for the first time on Saturday ahead of an international friendly against Jamaica on Sept. 2 at BMO Field in Toronto.
Didic’s inclusion on the 24-man Canada roster continues a breakthrough year for the 22-year-old center back at the international level. Didic previously made his debut for the Canada U-23s in March, anchoring the defense in shutout victories over Uzbekistan and Qatar at a tournament in Doha, Qatar.
Led by head coach Octavio Zambrano, Canada is set to host Jamaica in a rematch of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals last month. After going unbeaten in the group stage, the Reds fell 2-1 to a Jamaica side that advanced to the final before losing 2-1 to the United States. The September friendly in Toronto will kick off at 6 p.m. CT.
Didic signed an MLS contract with Sporting Kansas City on May 31 after starring for USL affiliate Swope Park Rangers, where he logged 32 appearances during his first professional season in 2016. The 6-foot-4 defender earned All-League First Team honors as a Defender of the Year finalist and landed on USL’s Team of the Week a league-high six times. In addition to guiding SPR to a Western Conference championship, Didic played all 90 minutes in three CONCACAF Champions League matches for Sporting Kansas City last fall.
Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and raised in Edmonton, Canada, Didic has spent most of 2017 with SPR, playing on loan since signing for Sporting KC. He has started 15 of 16 USL appearances for a team that currently occupies second place in the Western Conference standings with a 12-5-5 record. Didic leads the team in clearances (89) and passing accuracy (89.9) among players with at least 350 minutes, while also ranking seventh on the USL charts in total passes (1,137).
At the collegiate level, Didic spent a four-year career at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, where he was a two-time NAIA All-American and received NSCAA All-American and Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2015.
Canada Roster
1- GK- Simon Thomas | NOR / FK Bodø/Glimt
2- FB- Nik Ledgerwood | CAN / FC Edmonton
3- CB- Manjrekar James | HUN / Vasas Budapest
4- FB- Michael Petrasso | ENG / Queens Park Rangers
5- CB- Dejan Jaković | USA / New York Cosmos
6- M- Samuel Piette | CAN / Impact Montréal FC
7- FB- Samuel Adekugbe | SWE / IFK Göteborg (on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
8- M- Will Johnson | USA / Orlando City SC
9- F- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC
10- M- David Junior Hoilett | WAL / Cardiff City FC
11- F- Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC
12- M- Alphonso Davies | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
13- M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
14- M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Louisville City FC
15- CB- Amer Didic | USA / Sporting Kansas City
16- F- Anthony Jackson-Hamel | CAN / Impact Montréal FC
17- FB- Marcel de Jong | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18- GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Blackburn Rovers
20- M- Raheem Edwards | CAN / Toronto FC
21- M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
22- GK- James Pantemis | CAN / Impact Montréal FC
23- M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas
24- M- David Choinière | CAN / Impact Montréal FC
25- M- Jay Chapman | CAN / Toronto FC
