Canada–United States sports rivalries

Canada–United States relations

Canada	United States

Because of their proximity and similar sporting cultures, Canada and United States are frequent rivals in a wide variety of international sports, despite the United States seeing more success historically than Canada in a variety of sports, such as football, baseball, basketball, etc.

Overall rivalry and the Olympic Games

For both countries, the Soviet Union was often the most hated rival in most international competitions before 1991. However, since the fall of the Soviet Union, the two neighbouring countries have been heated rivals, especially in winter sports where the talent pools of the two countries are more evenly matched, although all time the United States is considerably ahead of Canada in gold, silver, bronze, and total medals won. In summer sports the United State's closest rival at the Summer Olympics is now China. All time, the United States is the number one ranked country in gold, silver, bronze, and total medals won, nearly doubling the total of the number two ranked country.

In the run-up to the 1998 Winter Olympics, Los Angeles Times columnist Mike Penner named Canada the United States' most important rival, especially in hockey. and USA Today ran the headline "Cold War now means Canada", with Canadian columnist Terry Jones reporting that the Canadian Olympic team approved of the comments and shared the news clippings around the athlete's village in Nagano. Ice hockey is the only sport that most Canadians care about, and as a result it is the most competitive between the 2 countries. The United States prides itself on football, baseball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, golf, volleyball, track and field, swimming, rowing, gymnastics, wrestling, boxing, fencing and water polo, but so far has not been able to add hockey onto that list.

Baseball

It was considered a major upset when Canada defeated the United States in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, which some commentators called a "Miracle on Dirt", reference to the Miracle on Ice when the US national hockey team beat the USSR in 1980. However, many of the best American players did not participate for the US in this competition. The United States beat Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic in Toronto. The United States also beat Canada in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Although there is only 1 Canadian in the baseball hall of fame, 3 different Canadian players have won the league's most valuable player award since 1997. The United States is ranked second in the WBSC World Rankings while Canada placed 8th.

Cricket

While cricket is not among the most popular sports in either country, they have the distinction of having played against each other in the first ever international match of any sport in 1844.

See also: K.A. Auty Cup

Ice hockey

For both genders and at all ages groups, Canada - US games are among the most important in international hockey. Since the decline of the Soviet Union in 1991, this rivalry has certainly been one of the most emotional.

Men's

Main articles: Canada men's national ice hockey team and United States men's national ice hockey team

Ice hockey is by far the most competitive sport between the two countries. The two teams have been close rivals since the early days of international hockey, facing each other for the gold medal at the first Olympic hockey tournament in 1920. The US was not able to defeat Canada until the 1960 Winter Olympics, and achieved their most recent victory at the 1980 Olympics. However, during the 1991 Canada Cup, American defense man Gary Suter cross-checked and injured Canadian superstar Wayne Gretzky, creating a feeling of animosity towards the US team among Canadian fans. In 1996, the United States won a minor victory during a best-on-best men's tournament by defeating Canada at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey on Canadian soil in Montreal. Canada took revenge by beating the US for the Gold again at the 2002 Olympics on American soil in Salt Lake City. During their next Olympic match, Canada defeated the US in a gold medal game at the 2010 Olympics on Canadian soil in Vancouver. Most recently, the two teams faced off against each other in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi's semi-final for the right to go to the gold medal game, which Canada once again won. Both the 2010 and 2014 games between the two nations were reffed by Canadians. Some Americans have cited this as controversial, disregarding Canada's long history of victory under diverse circumstances.

Junior

The two countries are perennial rivals at the World Junior Hockey Championships for players under 21 years of age.

Women's

Main articles: Canada women's national ice hockey team and United States women's national ice hockey team

Canada and the U.S. have faced each other in the championship game of nearly every Olympics and World Championships since the beginning of international play. Few of Canada's and the U.S.'s losses have been to teams outside their rivalry. After an American victory during the 1998 Nagano Olympics, the Canadian Olympic team has won every gold medal since.

Lacrosse

Field

Men's

No team other than Canada or the US has ever won the World Lacrosse Championship. The US has nine championships, and Canada three.

Rugby

Union

Men's

Both countries are middle-of-pack internationally in rugby union, and therefore closely matched. Canada's first win in an international "test match" was against the USA in 1977. The teams formerly faced each other in the regional PARA Pan American Championship and Churchill Cup, and still do in the Pan American Games and Americas Rugby Championship.

Wheelchair

Men's

The rivalry between the two teams was the subject of an Oscar-nominated 2005 documentary film Murderball.

Soccer

Men's

The two clubs frequently face each other in the Gold Cup, however the United States has historically been the stronger side. The overall record As of 2011 is 14-0 in favor of the United States, and American soccer fans generally look to Mexico as the main rival, and not Canada. The United States has qualified for 10 world cups and has made it to the semifinals in 1930, the quarterfinals in 2002, and has made it to the round of 16 on numerous occasions, while the only time Canada qualified for the World Cup, they lost all their games and failed to score a goal. Canada is not considered a rival as they have not beaten the United States since the 1980s.

A Canadian club, Galt F.C., did beat an American club, Christian Brothers College, for the Gold at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, however.

The US under-23 team defeated Canada to take the bronze medal at the 1999 Pan-Am Games on Canadian soil in Winnipeg. On the other hand, Canada's under-20 team defeated the US to win their group of the 2003 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament in Charleston, South Carolina.

Women's

The two teams are more closely matched than in the men's game, providing for more close finishes. Notably the two nations faced each other in the final of the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship on Canadian soil in Edmonton, with the United States winning. The two nations' senior sides met in the third place match of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup on American soil in Carson, California. Also, Canada's senior team beat the US under-20 team in the final of the 2008 Cyprus Cup. At the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Vancouver, the US defeated Canada 4-0 in the final.

By 2012 the US clearly had the edge, winning every match since 2001, 26 in a row. There was a memorable match between the two teams during 2012 London Olympics semi-finals, which a concacaf.com columnist had described as the most important of their 26-year-long rivalry on the international scene. The Canadians led the match at three different points, but were ultimately defeated in overtime, allowing the Americans to advance to the Gold Medal Match. The United States most recently won the Women's World Cup on Canadian soil and increased their record to 3 World Cup wins and 4 Olympic gold medals, to Canada's 0 World Cup wins and 0 gold medals. The overall series is 47 wins for the United States, 3 wins for Canada and 6 draws.