The players fly across the green pitch under the blaring lights. Their bodies move in kinetic displays of devotion to their nation, their team, and their sport. In the stands surrounding them, tens of thousands of fans rise, cheering, from their seats. This is the moment where passion begins.

In 2014, the FIFA World Cup is being hosted in Brazil. This exciting event is closely watched by millions of fans around the globe, intertwining national pride, international sportsmanship and love for a sport that combines endurance, strength, and strategy to the delight of frenzied fans. Canadians, too, are riveted by the FIFA World Cup – including the hundreds of thousands of young people here who play soccer for fun and for sport.

Considered the world’s most popular sport, soccer has also taken hold of Canadians young and old. Although the Dominion of Canada Football Association has been a FIFA member since its formation in 1913 it is largely since the 1980s that soccer’s popularity in Canada has soared, particularly among youth. Beginning in the 1980s, soccer became the Canadian sport with the highest number of registered players, surpassing even hockey. Soccer registration in Canada has continued to outpace hockey registration ever since and remains both the top participatory sport and fastest-growing sport in Canada. Today, the Canadian Soccer Association boasts nearly 1 million registered soccer players in Canada, the majority of whom are under the age of 19 and almost half of whom are female.

With this dynamic global sport inspiring the passion of young Canadians, it is no surprise that Canada’s international status in soccer has seen an upsurge over the last two decades. The Canadian men’s national soccer team participated in both the 1986 FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Confederations Cup 2001. The Canadian women’s national soccer team has played at 5 FIFA Women’s World Cups. Canada will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015.

Coin design was approved by FIFA.

Coin was designed by Canadian artist Steve Hepburn and presents a dynamic stylized pastiche of soccer images. Dominating the image is a soccer player, right leg thrown back to make a powerful kick. The player’s target is a large soccer ball upon which a map of Canada replaces one of the dark patches. Below the image of the player, three young children play soccer in a field of grass—a boy prepares to kick the ball while two girls approach him from either side; all the young players are dressed in the sport’s recognizable uniform of long shorts, jersey, tall socks, and soccer cleats. In the upper right corner of the image, backed by a cheery yellow sunburst, a large stylized image of a Canadian crowd, arms extended to the sky, waving flags and pennants and flanked by swirling maple leaves, is reminiscent of the building wave of enthusiasm for the sport. The background is dominated by the well known green of the soccer pitch along with colourful ‘swoosh’ marks flying from behind the ball and complex line patterns recalling soccer nets.

Coin is an excellent gift for the young soccer fans and players in your life. A thoughtful celebration of soccer for fans, sports enthusiasts, and lovers of the FIFA World Cup.