The next step up the career ladder has been successful: Scott Kennedy is now a Canadian international! The 24-year-old professional footballer, who was hired by regional division SB Chimgau Tronstein in 2015 and is currently on contract with second division SSV Jan Regensburg, played his first international for his country’s senior national team. “It was a very special moment for me when the national anthem was sung,” he says in an interview with our sports department. “It was as if time had stopped for a moment,” he says.

Canada faced Suriname in Group B of North and Central America in the World Cup qualifying round. Kennedy played through 90 minutes – with Bayern Munich’s Alfonso Davies among others. “As a central defender in a series of three,” he says. The game ended 4–0 for Canada and Kennedy put together the defense. “The whole game was very successful for us,” he insisted. “I’m glad I was able to help the team.”

Canada are in first place after four match days and four wins in Group B and are now in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers. Canada will now face Group E winners Haiti. The first phase will be on Saturday, the second phase will be on Tuesday. Scott Kennedy hopes to wear the national shirt again.

If Canada survives this round as well, it moves to the final round. There, eight teams will compete against each other – the three best teams buy tickets to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica and Honduras have already qualified for the final round, so there are still three teams to be looked for and Canada, of course, is expected to win World Cup tickets. can play for

Scott Kennedy will return to Germany at the end of June. “Then the preparation for the new season in the second division begins,” says the Canadian, advised by Neukirchen’s Rainer Hörgel. For the defensive specialist, this is his second season at Regensburg. He had a good first season with the Upper Palatinate. Kennedy also scored a goal in a last 16 thriller against Bundesliga Club 1 – 22 second division games and three DFB Cup appearances. Celebrating a sensational 4-3 win on penalties with FC Köln and John at the end – are in their books.

Kennedy aims to defend his regular spot for the new season as well. “I want to help the team,” he also insists. And: “We definitely want to have the class again.” But now Scott Kennedy is fully concentrating on his work with the Canadian national team. sb