Canada hero Stephen Eustaquio in tears when asked about family tragedy post-match

Stephen Eustaquio was faced with a very emotional question (Picture: ITV)

Canada’s goal-scoring hero Stephen Eustaquio was in tears after the 1-0 win over South Africa on Sunday after being asked about the deaths of his parents in a post-match interview.

One of the three host nations became the first team into the last 16 of the World Cup as the Canadian’s edged South Africa in Los Angeles.

It was a largely forgettable game but there was a rare piece of quality late on as Eustaquio produced a classy finish in the 92nd minute.

Canada had never picked up a point at the World Cup before this year but progressed from their group with a win and a draw and now have their first ever knockout stage victory.

Eustaquio, the midfielder on loan at Los Angeles FC from Porto, grabbed the headlines but was immediately hit with an emotional line of questioning.

In 2023 he lost his mother Esmeralda to brain cancer and a year later his father Armando died after suffering a heart attack.

The match-winner was asked about how he was remembering his family in the emotional moment, while the reporter also brought up his young daughter, born in 2024.

Matthew Scianitti, of TSN, said: ‘I want to talk about you for a second. Everything you’ve been through. Losing both of your parents a few years ago. Your young daughter. I know you’re in the moment.

‘In the moments to come, in the years to come, how will you remember this? How are you remembering your family in this moment?’

The goal-scorer said: ‘Everything I do is for my family, for my parents, for my girlfriend, for my daughter For my brother. For my friends back home. For all of them.’

Eustaquio was born in Canada to Portuguese parents (Picture: Getty Images)

Scianitti replied: ‘Canada says thank you, Stephen.’

Canada will now take on either Netherlands or Morocco in the last 16 on Saturday, with manager Jesse Marsch telling his players they have become Canadian heroes already.

Speaking in an emotionally charged full-time speech, the American said: ‘Guys, think about the two years we’ve been together. Think about how we talked about sticking to the plan, sticking to who we want to be. Playing aggressive. Accessing our quality.

Jesse Marsch has taken Canada to the last 16 (Picture: Getty Images)

‘You guys showing your character. You guys are Canadian heroes today. Canadian heroes, for the future children of this country, who play the sport.

‘The sport has a big future because of you guys. You should be so proud of who you are. You should be so proud of this game. You never lost belief. You went after it. Point after point, moment after moment. You are Canadian heroes.’

Marsch responded to accusations that his on-field speech was part of his ‘performative’ actions as boss in abrupt fashion.

Speaking in a post-match press conference he said: ‘People like to say it’s performative to meet on the pitch. Frankly I don’t give a s**t what people have to say. All I care about is our own team and what we do together.

‘In these moments it’s hard because everybody gets pulled in a million different directions by media and you don’t really have the chance to be with your team unless you take that moment right there.

‘At different times we’ve shared messages with each other. I always try to get the leaders to speak. They’re Canadian, this is their national team. But I wanted to be able to voice to them how an important moment this will prove to be for the sport in the country, for the national team programme.’

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