Canada players, left to right, Lucas Cavallini, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea and Tajon Buchanan celebrate their 4-0 win over Jamaica during second half CONCACAF World Cup soccer qualifying action in Toronto on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Lucas Cavallini and Jonathan Osorio have come a long way since the days of playing soccer as kids in the Cavallini family family basement in Mississauga, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Lucas Cavallini and Jonathan Osorio have come a long way since the days of playing soccer as kids in the Cavallini family basement in Mississauga, Ont.
Last year, they fulfilled a dream by making it to the World Cup.
“When we finally arrived in Qatar is when we started to realize our past and what brought us here,” recalled Cavallani, who came off the bench in Canada’s 4-1 loss to Croatia at the World Cup. “And what we had to go through. The struggles, the sacrifice, the ups, the downs to get to that stage. Thinking about it together and taking photographs together and stuff. Just realizing what situation we were in was incredible.
“At one point we got a bit emotional. But I mean it’s normal. It’s what we live for. This is our passion. This is always our dream. Just to do it together was even better.”
And this week, they joined forces in Las Vegas as the 47th-ranked Canadian men went after the CONCACAF Nations League title.
“We’re on to the next journey now,” said Cavallini.
Cavallini, 30, and Osorio, 31, grew up playing for the Clarkson Soccer club in Mississauga. And they ended up in South America together after a tour of Uruguay led to a Club Nacional tryout offer.
Both have South American bloodlines. Cavallini’s father is originally from Argentina while Osorio’s parents were born in Colombia.
And while both players spoke the language, life in Uruguay wasn’t easy. They lived in dormitory-style accommodations with Uruguayan juniors who initially saw them as foreigners looking to take their jobs.
Osorio spent two years in Uruguay, starting in the under-19 ranks before making his way into the reserves before deciding to return home at the end of 2011. That led to an invitation from Toronto FC’s academy in September 2012.
Former Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen liked what he saw of Osorio at training camp in 2013. It proved to be a wise decision. Osorio now leads the franchise with 327 appearances in all competitions.
Cavallini stayed in Uruguay, loaned to Juventud and then Fenix in a deal that was eventually made permanent. He transferred to Penarol, a Nacional rival, before moving to Mexico’s Puebla in 2017 on a loan that was eventually made permanent the next year.
He joined the Whitecaps in 2020 as a designated player.
Cavallini, who is married with three children, enjoyed Vancouver even though he arrived amidst turbulent times with a pandemic–forced move south of the border – first to Portland and then Salt Lake City.
“It was what it was … But I think my third year, things were finally normal,” he said. “I was finally finding my comfort zone, finding my confidence. I was just feeling happy. I wasn’t worried about anything else. Just playing football and trying to do the best I can.”
It showed on the field, with nine goals and two assists in 24 MLS games last season.
But Vancouver subsequently elected not to pick up the contract option on Cavallini, whose 2022 salary of US$1.6 million was second only to Scottish attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld’s US$2.26 million.
“It was just a club decision … We didn’t come to terms,” said Cavallini. “Normal things. Stuff that happens in football. I guess it was time for a change.”
The owner of Club Tijuana wanted Cavallini and eventually landed him in early February. The club changed managers about the same time with Miguel (Piojo) Herrera taking over the squad.
Tijuana (3-7-7) currently stands 15th in the 18-team Liga MX. Cavallini has two goals and two assists in 12 appearances, saying he feels like he has finally found his footing now after missing pre-season.
Cavallini has sons aged three and five and an eight-year-old daughter. They all speak Spanish, which eased the move to Mexico.
“They enjoyed Vancouver a lot. It was hard to let go of Vancouver. As a city and as a place to live, to raise a family it was great. That part hurt me the most, to be honest,” he said. “I wish I could have contributed more on the pitch as well. I still think if I would have been there another year, things would have been different Things would have been much better but it is what it is. Sometimes you have to move on and better things will happen in life..”
He lives near Tijuana’s stadium and, being so close to the U.S. border, the family often heads north to San Diego or Los Angeles when he has time off.
Going into Sunday’s Nations League final against the 13th-ranked U.S. at Allegiant Stadium, Cavallini had 18 goals in 35 appearances for Canada.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2023
