The future is now for Canadian midfielder Michael Petrasso.
The 20-year-old Toronto native is with the Canadian national team ahead of friendlies against Azerbaijan (Fri., 1 pm ET) and Uzbekistan (Tues., 10 am ET) in search of his first senior cap. Though he is the only uncapped player on the 24-man roster, it should not come as a great surprise if he sees the field for Canada.
“Getting my first men’s cap would be an honor and a great joy if I got the chance to play,” Petrasso told MLSsoccer.com by phone on Wednesday. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for it; hopefully this camp will be a good chance for me to show the coaches what I can do.”
Petrasso has been steadily working his way up the ranks for both club and country over the past several years and seems primed for a breakthrough with both the Canadian team and his club side, Queens Park Rangers of England's Championship.
The crafty midfielder came up through the Toronto FC academy before joining QPR in 2013. He spent two seasons splitting time between QPR’s youth squads and loan spells to other English clubs before appearing to gain a foothold with QPR’s first team in 2015-16, making eight appearances (including three starts).
“Being around [the first team] all year, training every day, it’s really helped me improve,” said Petrasso. “The Championship’s competitive, and I’ve got to keep working hard to earn a starting spot with the QPR squad.”
While Petrasso said those loan spells helped him get to the point where he is today, he also credits the positive influence of QPR teammate — and now, Canadian teammate — Junior Hoilett.
“He’s always kinda looked after me at QPR, especially when I was young,” said Petrasso. “We hang out outside of football as well, in London. He’s a great player and a great asset to Canada, so he’s a good role model for me.”
Though this is Petrasso’s third training camp with Canada’s senior team, it’s his first one alongside Hoilett, who joined the program in October 2015.
Given that both play on the left side of midfield, they’ll be competing for minutes in Canada’s two upcoming friendlies and potentially beyond. But Petrasso insists that won’t detract from their relationship.
“I wouldn’t say there’s a rivalry,” said Petrasso. “I have a lot of respect for Junior, and I look up to him.”
That respect fits right in with the character of a young man who appears to have a keen understanding of the virtues of patience and perspective when it comes to his career.
Despite the steady upward trajectory of the last few years and the hype that comes with his promising play, Petrasso is circumspect when asked whether the year to come will be the one where he makes a definitive breakthrough.
“I hope so, but I’m not too sure,” he said. “You never know what can happen.”
That sense of generalized uncertainty puts Petrasso in the same boat as Canadian soccer supporters, who have learned time and again that nothing can ever be taken for granted.
Even so, Petrasso is willing to indulge in some optimism when asked about the squad’s chances of succeeding in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers in September and advancing to the CONCACAF Hexagonal for the first time in two decades.
“The team’s got a good chance to get through to the end,” he said. “The players they’ve brought in now, Scott Arfield and Junior, both experienced players, and Cyle [Larin] is flourishing at a young age.
“I feel like the team’s got confidence going into those two games, and I’m sure they’re going to do well.”
