Graphic courtesy: Football Canada
Team Canada’s reign over the international football world was short-lived.
Just one month after lifting the Gridiron Nations Championship in Europe, the Canadian senior men’s national tackle football team suffered a shocking upset on North American soil. Despite forcing overtime, they fell 41-34 to Team Mexico at Estadio Wilfrido Massieu in Mexico City.
The game was billed as a test of Mexico’s preparedness to join the next edition of the GNC, which also includes Germany and Italy as competitors. The host team appeared to take that task seriously, as quarterback Alejandro Garcia found running back Axel Montini for a 34-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive to stun the visitors.
After initially struggling to match Mexico’s physicality on the ground, Canada caught a break when Jaxon Ciraolo-Brown stepped into the hole to force a fumble later in the frame. The offence capitalized quickly, as former Hec Crighton Trophy winner Chris Merchant aired out a 56-yard bomb to James Basalyga to tie the game.
Minutes later, Merchant went to the air again and connected with Jaylan Greaves for a 41-yard gain. Tight end Hayden Amis was stripped at the goal line on the next play, resulting in a touchback, but the defence held firm. Former NFL tight end Rysen John posterized his defender for a 30-yard touchdown to get the points back, though the PAT was blocked.
After Mexico was intercepted by Maliek Cote-Azore, the rout appeared to be on. However, defensive end Maximo Gonzalez flipped the script by picking off a screen pass from Merchant. Canada managed to force a turnover on downs in the red zone, but Gonzalez showed why he was once selected to the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program and repeated the feat, this time off a deflected checkdown.
Garcia ran in an 11-yard score, and Mexico took a one-point lead. Merchant had a chance to answer, but was picked off for a third time, this time by defensive back Gerardo Ramirez. Toronto Argonauts’ practice roster kicker Alfredo Gachuz Lozada hit a 54-yard field goal as time expired to put the home team up 17-13 at the break.
Canada switched quarterbacks to start the second half, and former CFL backup Michael O’Connor came out swinging with a 75-yard touchdown bomb to Greaves on his very first play. Gachuz Lozada answered back with a 42-yarder to knot the game again, and Adam Preocanin couldn’t equal the feat on his only attempt of the game, sending it wide left.
From there, Mexico took control. Iker Ayala led a long drive as the quarterback before Fernando Mayen Marin powered in a direct snap for a short touchdown. Alonso Gaxiola picked off a deep throw from O’Connor, and Ayala delivered the goods with a 44-yard strike to Alexis Rodriguez to go up by two scores.
The shell-shocked Canadian squad finally woke up late in the fourth quarter as Merchant marched the team down the field and drew a key penalty to set the team up at the goal line. Former Edmonton Elks offensive lineman Phil Grohovac capped the drive with a touchdown catch on a tackle eligible play, leaving the team’s fate up to the defence.
Canada would get the ball back with under a minute left, and O’Connor went to work, finding Greaves and John for chunk plays. On the final play of regulation, he backpedalled away from pressure and found Cordell Hastings for the 13-yard touchdown to force overtime.
Even with the late surge, Canada couldn’t escape their fate. Ayala ran in untouched off a read option to score the winning touchdown on the first series of overtime, and John couldn’t get a foot down to equalize on a desperate throw from O’Connor. Mauricio Martinez picked off Canada for a fifth time on the final play, and a historic upset was cemented.
Team Canada now enters a period of rest as they prepare for the rest of the 2026 Gridiron Nations Championship slate, while the partnership must decide whether Mexico will be formally inducted into the group. From a talent perspective, there would appear to be no limitations.