Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea to captain Canada against Guatemala in soccer friendly

By Canadian Press on January 16, 2026.

Toronto FC fullback Richie Laryea will captain a developmental Canada side against Guatemala in Saturday’s soccer friendly in Los Angeles.

Given the Canadian men’s camp in Irvine, Calif., did not fall during a FIFA international window, coach Jesse Marsch opted for players out of season, with all but one based in North America.

Laryea, who also captained Canada in the third-place playoff loss to No. 16 Uruguay at the 2024 Copa America, will lead a blend of veterans and youth at BMO Stadium.

“I’ve said it’s a developmental game. That’s definitely the case,” Marsch told a media availability in California. “But we’re going into this match wanting to win.”

Marsch said the exact status of the game, as to whether it is considered a Tier 1 international and how many substitutes will be allowed, had not been determined yet.

But he expects a competitive Guatemalan side.

“They’ve brought a really good team,” Marsch said. “We’re expecting a very difficult match, a very combative match … For the guys that have been around, I think they’ll be ready for it. For some of the new guys, I think it will be a challenge for them to understand how scrappy, how competitive, how hard-working the Guatemalan team is.”

Canada and Guatemala last met in the Gold Cup quarterfinals in June 2025 with the Central Americans prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shootout after the game finished knotted at 1-1. Canada was reduced to 10 men when winger Jacob Shaffelburg was sent off in first-half stoppage time.

LAFC’s Shaffelburg was initially included on the camp roster but had to withdraw after requiring surgery for a degenerative groin condition. He was replaced by Toronto FC winger Malik Henry.

Marsch said he expects to face most of the Guatemalan players Canada saw at the Gold Cup, with Rubio Rubin (Charleston Battery) and Aaron Herrera (D.C. United) among those missing

It’s the 27th-ranked Canadian men’s first game since Nov. 18 when they blanked No. 48 Venezuela 2-0 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. And its one of the few games remaining before this summer’s World Cup.

Canada will play two games in Toronto against yet-to-be announced opposition during the March 23-31 international window. Then it’s a game against No. 50 Uzbekistan on June 1 in Edmonton, followed by a final World Cup warmup June 5 or 6 in Montreal against a yet-to-be announced opponent.

The Canadians open Group B play at the World Cup on June 12 against a European qualifier in Toronto before heading to Vancouver to face No. 54 Qatar and No. 17 Switzerland on June 18 and 24, respectively.

Marsch has said the California camp roster falls into three segments: players who have already earned their place on the World Cup roster, those on the bubble and young talent getting a taste of the national team.

Veterans in camp include Toronto’s Jonathan Osorio (87 caps) and Laryea (71 caps), Portland’s Kamal Miller (50 caps) and LAFC’s Mathieu Choiniere (21 caps). Chicago’s Joel Waterman (15 caps), Austin’s Jayden Nelson (12 caps), Sporting Kansas City’s Zorhan Bassong (seven caps) and Columbus’ Jacen Russell-Rowe (seven caps) are the only other capped players in camp.

Eleven other players have yet to earn a senior cap.

Matteo de Brienne, who is currently out of season with Sweden’s GAIS, is the only European-based player in camp. The defender, then playing for Valour FC, won the Canadian Premier League Best Canadian Under-21 Player Award in 2023.

CPL players on hand include Noah Abatneh (Atletico Ottawa), Shola Jimoh (Inter Toronto) and Tiago Coimbra (Halifax Wanderers). Abatneh was a finalist for CPL Defender of the Year and, like Coimbra, was named to the league’s Best XI for 2025.

Canada’s record against Guatemala is 10-2-3 (including the Gold Cup draw that turned into a loss). The Canadian men’s previous losses to the Central Americans were both in World Cup qualifying play — 2-0 in August 2004 in Burnaby, B.C., and 1-0 in October 1998 in Guatemala City.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16. 2026.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press