Joel Waterman
Squad number 5 · Chicago Fire FC
Their 2026 World Cup
Joel Waterman travelled to the 2026 World Cup with Canada, wearing number 5, without ever getting on the pitch. His side played 5 matches (2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats) and bowed out in the round of 16, beaten by Morocco 3-0.
Defence went to A. Johnston (5 matches, 457′) and R. Laryea (5 matches, 438′).
Another 4 players in the Canada squad ended up the same way, without a single minute. The full run is on the Canada team page.
Biography
Joel Robert Waterman (born January 24, 1996) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a centre-back, right-back or defensive midfielder for Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer and the Canada national team.
Early life Waterman began playing soccer at age five with Aldergrove Youth SC. At age 12, he joined Langley United. Afterwards, he played with Surrey United SC. When he was 13, he made the British Columbia provincial team. In 2013, he represented British Columbia at the 2013 Canada Summer Games and also had a brief trial with the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy, but did not make the squad.
University career In 2014, he began attending Trinity Western University, where he played for the men's soccer team, committing to them when he was in Grade 11. Ahead of his fifth season, he was named the team captain, and helped them win a Canada West silver medal and finished fourth at the National Championship. He was also named a Canada West First Team All Star that season.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · text adapted from the article.
See all the tournament stats on the World Cup data hub.
Photo: Bryan Berlin · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)