World News – CA – Canadian veteran center-back David Edgar will retire later this year

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Veteran defender David Edgar, who turned his head as a teenager with a highlight goal for Newcastle United and later became captain of Canada, has announced his retirement at the end of the year.

The 33-year-old from Kitchener, Ont. is currently with the Canadian Premier League champions Forge FC in the Dominican Republic for the quarterfinals of the Scotiabank CONCACAF League on Tuesday against the Haitian Arcahaie FC in Santo Domingo.

A Forge win on Tuesday would mark Edgar’s swan song. Should the team lose, he could play in a final game – one game later in December to be accepted into the CONCACAF Champions League 2021.

The 6-foot-3 center-back won 42 caps for Canada, made his senior debut against Greece in February 2011 and has captained his county five times. His last appearance was in March 2018 in a friendly against New Zealand in Spain.

At the club level, Edgar left Canada at age 14 to join Newcastle’s youth setup. As the seventh Canadian in the Premier League, he made his debut in England’s top division in December. 26, 2006, against Bolton. The 19-year-old made a few days later with a long-range missile in the 2-2 draw against Manchester United on Jan.. January a name. 1, 2007.

Edgar has played for Burnley more than 100 times and also played for Birmingham City in England on loan from Swansea, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United. In 2016 he returned to North America to play for the Vancouver Whitecaps, Nashville SC and Ottawa Fury.

While at the Whitecaps, he had surgery to repair the posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and meniscus in his right knee in January 2017 after being hit by a car while on vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona. in December 2016.

« It’s been a pretty tough fight since my injury in 2016, » he said Monday evening from the Dominican Republic. « I shouldn’t be playing again and the career I’ve had after an injury is something I’m pretty proud of.

« It was not an easy decision, but I think when I look back it has been in preparation for a while. I am 33. I did quite a lot in the game for a kid from Kitchener, Ontario. It’s just special for me to finish in a league in my home country that I’m incredibly proud of. At my age, it is time for the young players to take advantage of this league. If I can help them in any way, then I’ve done my job as a Canadian player. ”

After a brief stint at Hartlepool in England, he moved to Forge in August 2019 and helped the Hamilton team win CPL titles in a row.

Canada’s trainer John Herdman, who worked with Edgar in his first camp for the Canadian men, called Edgar “a real leader of men. ”

« What stood out was his selflessness and willingness to support the young players who came through the system, but at the same time give everything he had on and off the field to be ready to compete for his country » , he added.

« He was an integral part of that team, » he said. “This is a big family, a big, close-knit group. And he’s been a big part of it since joining the team. ”

Edgar has played 26 games (23 starts) with Forge, including 21 in the CPL game and five in the CONCACAF League.

Edgar represented Canada in three qualifying cycles for the FIFA World Cup and two CONCACAF Gold Cups as well as in qualifying for the CONCACAF Nations League. He was third in the 2014 Canadian Player of the Year poll.

He scored international goals against Cuba, Jamaica, Uzbekistan and El Salvador and added three assists in Canadian colors.

At the international youth level, Edgar was 2006 Canadian U-20 Player of the Year.

Edgar was 15 years old when he made his debut in the Canadian youth program with coach Ray Clark. He was the first Canadian to be selected for three FIFA U-20 World Cups, starting with the UAE in 2003 when Canada reached the quarter-finals.

On his 19th. Birthday – the 19th. May 2006 – He scored the first goal in the 2-1 win over Brazil in Edmonton, Canada’s first men’s youth win against the South American powerhouse.

Edgar is currently enrolled in the National Teams Education Program, which supports the coaching education of his current and former national team players.

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Forge FC, David Edgar, Concacaf Champions League, Canadian Premier League, Arcahaie FC, Newcastle United F. . C.. .