Atiba Hutchinson, who represented Canada at senior level for 20 years and 104 caps, embodies calm professionalism and leadership.
“He is very humble but the impact he has had on people is greater than anyone I have ever seen,” said former national team coach John Herdman.
“It was just a privilege for me. It was an honour to work with people like (former Canadian women’s national team captain Christine) Sinclair. And Artiba was a gift to Canada,” he added.
Hutchinson chronicles his journey on and off the field in a funny and refreshingly honest memoir, “Beautiful Dreams,” co-written with Dan Robson.
The former Canada captain, who has coached 10 different national teams, shares the pain of veteran players who have seen their World Cup dreams fade over the years.
Hutchinson experienced Canada’s struggles firsthand as a player for a team ranked 122nd in the world and 16th in CONCACAF (located between St. Kitts and Nevis and Aruba) in October 2014.
And leading the Canadian men’s national soccer team to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a tournament they have not competed in for 36 years, was a high point.
He doesn’t throw anyone under the bus. For example, he mentions the penalty he missed in the opening World Cup game against Belgium in Qatar, but he doesn’t mention the kicker (Alphonso Davies, whom he greatly admires). But he does share anecdotes that paint a picture.
He describes years of frustration for Canadian men, saying his European club teammates ridiculed his commitment to the national team. In one story about a key player in a World Cup qualifier in Honduras in October 2012, he says he learned in the locker room before the game that the federation had promised the opposing team “land or a house” if they won.
Canada, needing only a draw to advance to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, was crushed 8-1, ending another World Cup campaign prematurely.
Hutchinson wrote about the transformation of the program under Herdman, who was impressed by “how good the young players were” when he joined the team for the World Cup qualifiers ahead of Qatar, and also mentioned the Canadian Soccer Association flying the team to a game in Costa Rica “on a private jet more luxurious than anything the federation has ever paid for.”
Canada eventually lost 1-0, which he said “reminded us that we’re not there yet.”
And Hutchinson recalls being “in tears” after Canada’s memorable 2-1 World Cup qualifier win over Mexico in cold Edmonton in November 2021.
“For the first time we were respected by other countries. We knew that we would be an easy win against an opponent like Mexico. Not anymore,” he wrote.
build on a foundation
Currently ranked 38th in the world, the Canadian men’s team continues to rise under coach Jesse Marsch.
“I’m really proud of how far we’ve come,” Hutchinson said in an interview.
“I just want to see what’s happening with the team and the players and the clubs they play for, winning leagues in Europe and around the world,” he added. “It’s something we’ve never experienced before.”
Turkish fans nicknamed him “the octopus” for his ability to win the ball back and retain it in midfield.
But the book shows the many trials and tribulations he faced, especially early in his career when he was trying to find a club in Europe.
Today, Hutchinson, his wife Sarah and their four children, ages one to nine, still live in Istanbul, where he is often recognized on the street.
Herdman thought Hutchinson would succeed him as head coach of Canada’s national team.
Hutchinson says he never intended to write a book, but was eventually persuaded to do so.
“I think it will help young children grow and inspire them,” he said.
The book begins with a depiction of Hutchinson and his friends as children playing soccer on the bumpy, sandy beach behind Arnott Charlton Public School in his hometown of Brampton, Ontario.
In May, Hutchinson and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown celebrated the opening of the Atiba Hutchinson Soccer Complex, an idea Hutchinson proposed to Brampton City Council in March 2022.
Hutchinson’s playing career may be over, but his influence lives on.
