When you ask Jonathan Osorio what his family thinks of Canada’s historic run in this summer’s Copa America, a smile beams across his face.
“Oh, it’s been amazing,” the 32-year-old midfielder says, following his team’s hard-fought win against Venezuela in Dallas. “My family is just over the moon.”
Sure, they’re thrilled because of Canada’s deep run that no one saw coming. But they’re also overjoyed because their son is competing in the most prestigious South American competition on the planet. And while the event’s popularity is still growing in North America, as a Canadian family with deep roots in Colombia, this was special.
As Osorio puts it: “To play in Copa America is a dream.”
The Canadian men’s national team has made historic strides this summer, advancing to the last four of the Copa America for the first time after an impressive showing under Jesse Marsch’s new leadership. The run has also been refreshing for Marsch, a former USMNT player, who said on the eve of their semifinal match with Argentina that this team has helped him find joy in football again.
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In many ways, Canada has felt like a guest overstaying their summer welcome. They were one of the last teams to enter the competition, qualifying through a play-in round in March; they have outlasted CONMEBOL sides such as Brazil and edged out Chile in the group stage. They are only the third tournament invitee to qualify for the knockout rounds in their first tournament appearance.
For Osorio, who grew up watching Copa America with his family, this competition feels more familiar. When addressing reporters in mixed zones, Osorio seamlessly transitions between English and Spanish.
“It’s huge. It’s a big step forward,” he says in English when asked about advancing out of the group stage. “For this group. For the federation. In a tournament as big as this, in a group as big as this. I don’t think people realize how tough a group this was.”
When asked by a Spanish-language reporter about being “titular” against Chile, or debuting on the starting roster in a Copa America, he replies in Spanish without skipping a beat. “The truth is, it’s a proud moment for me and my family. It’s an honor to play for this country.”
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Born in Toronto, Osorio has strong ties to his Colombian heritage.
His father is from Caicedonia and his mother is from Medellin. Osorio was raised with Colombian traditions at home, like having a Colombian coffee in the morning and enjoying dishes like ‘arepa paisa’ or ‘sancocho de gallina’. His grandmother, he told El Pais in 2019, made the best ‘carne empanadas’ in the world. His father made sure to always speak with Osorio in Spanish to keep the language familiar.
His roots in soccer also extend to other parts of South America. In 2010, Osorio had the opportunity to train with Club Nacional de Football’s youth academy in Uruguay, thanks to a connection through a club coach from Toronto. For two years, he lived in Montevideo, where he also trained alongside his Canadian national team-mate Lucas Cavallini. This laid the foundation for his eventual career to play professionally.
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It wasn’t long until Osorio signed with Toronto FC, his hometown Major League Soccer club. He did so in 2013 after a season with SC Toronto in the Canadian Soccer League, all while slowly working his way up the national team ranks, and later debuting on the senior side.
Now, more than a decade later, the midfielder has established himself as a veteran in MLS, signing on as a Designated Player with Toronto FC last year and being named captain ahead of the current season, and a regular on Canada’s senior side.
It was during his time in MLS that Osorio drew international headlines for his Colombian-centric celebrations. After scoring a goal, he would run to the sidelines and act like he was sipping a cup of coffee. Then, he’d point to his thigh and reveal a tattooed image of a ‘Juan Valdez’ logo, a homage to the fictional coffee grower known as the face of one of the world’s most famous Colombian coffee brands.
“I wanted to show that I’m proud of my Colombian culture and traditions,” Osorio told El Pais about his celebration in 2019. “It was also to send a message to my family in Colombia, especially those living in Medellin. It was a celebration for them.”
Five years later, his family is still tuning in from Colombia. Osorio has settled into Marsch’s starting lineup, which is defying Copa America crowds that are nearly all rooting against them. In Dallas for the quarterfinals against Venezuela, there was a deafening silence inside AT&T Stadium when Canada won the match after a penalty shootout.
If Canada pulls another surprise victory against Argentina, it will be one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. A tale of David versus Goliath, or the beginning of this Canadian side evolving into a Goliath of its own. Either way, it’s a wild ride Osorio says he’s glad to be a part of.
“I’m so proud to be a part of this group and to have this opportunity in Copa America and making history,” Osorio said on Friday. “We’re looking forward now. We’re looking forward to the semifinals. We’re not done. We have a game to play and we have our eye on finding a way to win that game.”
A win means advancing to the finals, extending Canada’s fighting chance for a storybook ending. If Colombia advances to the final, too, that story could not have been written more poetically for the Osorio family.
“Hopefully Colombia does their job and gets to the semifinal as well,” Osorio said on the eve of Colombia ousting Panama 5-0 in yet another dominant performance. “We’ll see when we can cross and see them.”
(Top photo: Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
