'Forgotten' host Canada's unforgettable World Cup

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: 'Forgotten' host Canada's unforgettable World Cup Figure caption, Watch: Has Canada delivered as a World Cup Host? ByJessica MurphyCanada digital editor, Reporting fromTorontoPublished14 minutes agoCanada has sometimes been referred to as the "forgotten host" of this World Cup, but for the men's national team and its supporters, the performance during the tournament will be an unforgettable high-water mark. Led by brash American coach Jesse Marsch, the team surprised many by fighting into the round of 16 - the furthest they've ever gone in the tournament - before being defeated by Morocco.

Canada's underdog run - from claiming their first World Cup point, their first win, and finally a knockout-stage victory as well - is one for the history books. They "shocked everyone" by making it as far they did, fan Matt Lorincz told the in Calgary. While football - or soccer - is Canada's most-played sport, its commercial success is overshadowed by the nation's love affair with ice hockey and the popularity of major-league baseball and basketball franchises.

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But there's hope that could change after this tournament. "Most people you talk to watch, like, hockey or other sports, right? There's not a lot of - or as many - soccer fans in Canada.

So hopefully there may be a few more of those," said Lorincz. Image caption, Matt Lorincz hopes the tournament will grow soccer fandom in CanadaFor a few weeks in June and July, the country has embraced its time on one of sport's biggest stages, while hosting the tournament alongside the US and Mexico. On Tuesday, that hosting responsibility came to a close with a final match in Vancouver - during which Switzerland defeated Colombia in the round of 16.

In Toronto, earlier in the tournament, the sound of matches filtered out onto the streets from local bars, and fans held joyous and colourful marches to Toronto Stadium through the downtown area. On the west coast, Canada trounced Qatar 6-0 during a match in Vancouver. The victory was marred only when star midfielder Ismaël Koné was stretchered off the pitch with a broken leg after going down from a hard tackle.

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'The country and the world are watching'Prime Minister Mark Carney is an avid sports fan who owns what seems like a jersey for every occasion. He is, so far, the only leader of the three North American host nations to attend stadium games, and he has embraced the opportunity to showcase his country during the world's most-watched sporting event. After the win against Qatar, Carney gave the team a pep talk in the Vancouver stadium locker room.

"You showed a level of character that some people never achieve in their life," Carney said. "And you showed it when a good part of the country and the world is watching.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.