Santiago López has dreamed of playing in this year’s FIFA World Cup ever since he was in elementary school.

He remembers hearing the announcement about ten years ago that the tournament would take place in North America and thinking to himself: “Oh, I want to play there.”

Now, the 20-year-old Canadian-Mexican dual national forward for Pumas UNAM, one of Mexico City’s top soccer clubs, remains focused on daily improvement, and hopes to represent Canada in the World Cup.

Despite spending recent years back in Mexico, López says part of him still feels tied to Canada, the country where his development began. 

“[They’re] a really good squad and [they’re] a really competitive squad, so you want to be a part of it,” he told The Current’s host Matt Galloway. “And apart from all that … the players are great people.”

López still has a chance to make the team if he delivers an exceptional performance in the lead-up to the tournament’s first kick-off. The final squads usually lock in about a month before the games, which take place June 11 to July 19 across 16 North American cities, including Toronto and Vancouver.

‘Love at first sight’

López was born in Morelia, Mexico, and was four when his parents moved to Oakville, Ont., for work. 

Unlike many professional athletes who come from athletic families, López says he was the first one to pursue sports.

“I just remember watching Messi or Cristiano,” said López. “It was love at first sight.” 

He launched his soccer journey in Canada with Oakville Soccer Club, an organization devoted to nurturing a love for the game.

Steven Killeen, an advanced development coach who worked with the club for nearly 20 years, coached López for about two years.

“[He was] really comfortable on the ball, really good at dribbling, brave to take on his opponent to get past the defenders, [and] had a good eye [to] score goals,” said Killeen.

While his natural talent played a part, Killeen says López also had the right attitude to pair.

“He was a super respectful, polite, really focused type of kid,” he said. “Always listening, paying attention, [and being] respectful to his teammates.” 

From Oakville to Mexico City

After living six years in Canada, López moved back to Mexico in 2015. 

There, shortly after turning 14, he joined the youth academy of Pumas UNAM in 2019. 

As López progressed, his performances began drawing attention, and by late 2022, he had come onto the radar of the Canadian national team, says Andrew Olivieri, the men’s youth director for Canada’s youth national teams and coach of one of the youth squads. 

Olivieri says López’s agency in Mexico reached out to Canada Soccer and provided video showcasing his performances. 

While evaluating players by video can be challenging, Olivieri, who would go on to coach López from January to August 2024, says the decision to bring López into the national program was easy. 

He coached López in the training programs and for the games to qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. 

From the start, López had a knack for making a difference on the field, says Olivieri. 

He points to their qualifying quarterfinal in July 2024 against Panama as an example.

Canada ultimately fell 2-1 in extra-time, missing out on a place at the U-20 World Cup, but there was a crucial stretch when López helped keep them in the game.

After Canada went down a man following a red card and conceded a penalty goal, López became “possessed” on the field, and within 10 minutes scored “a fantastic goal off of a free kick” to tie the game, said Olivieri.

“When we needed him most, he found another level, another gear in his performance.”

“Everybody was really tired … the games were back to back,” López said in an interview with OneSoccer. “I just saw the ball coming at my feet, it was more like a reaction.” 

Keeping dreams in sight 

Even if López is still developing ahead of this year’s tournament, the door remains wide open, says Olivieri.

“I wouldn’t be surprised in four years … or eight years from now, we are talking about Santiago wearing the Canadian badge in the World Cup,” he said. 

For López, the focus remains firmly on the present. 

He describes any national team opportunity as a byproduct of his daily work with Pumas UNAM, where he made his senior debut off the bench in January 2024.

Taking his career one step at a time, López views being selected as something that’s earned rather than expected.

In 2021, López lost his father, the man he would sit beside and watch soccer matches with. He says his father would be proud of how far he has come — but would also urge him to keep pushing forward. 

“He would tell me to continue working and that dreams are possible.”