Junior Hoilett will make his 70th and final appearance for Canada in Saturday's friendly against Chile at BMO Field in Toronto. The match marks the national team's first outing since the summer's World Cup and serves as an emotional send-off for the 36-year-old Brampton native.

Hoilett has been a fixture in the Canadian setup since his senior debut in 2015, featuring at both the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America. He is currently without a club after 19 professional seasons, the most recent of which saw him score once in 14 league appearances for Swindon Town in England's League Two.

The friendly against Chile has been designated as Hoilett's farewell from international football. Teammates have spoken about his profound influence on the squad. "Junior has helped so many of us throughout our career," said defender Richie Laryea. "He's a big brother to a lot of the guys. I think everybody looks up to him."

Forward Promise David, a fellow Brampton native, echoed the sentiment. "He's been like a father figure to a lot of us, and me," David said. "I think Junior's one of the pioneers..."

Canada's roster is missing several key figures for this international window, with details available on our injuries page. Captain Alphonso Davies is absent as he is getting married. Defenders Alfie Jones and Derek Cornelius are out injured, while midfielder Ismael Kone, winger Marcelo Flores and defender Moise Bombito are still recuperating from long-term issues. Youngster Jeevan Badwal also withdrew from camp with an undisclosed ailment.

Despite the absences, much of the core group from the World Cup returns. The team will look to build on a recent 1-0 victory over Chile just days ago, a result that helped them stay in second place in their World Cup qualifying group with four points from three matches. The team has scored 2 goals and conceded 1 in those qualifiers, with their next competitive fixture being a key qualifier against Mexico in October.

Saturday's meeting is the sixth all-time between the nations and the first in Toronto since 1988, when Canada won 1-0 on a late Ian Bridge goal. The overall record stands at two wins for Chile, two draws, and one win for Canada. Chile, who missed the last three World Cups, are in a rebuilding phase after a winless group-stage exit at the 2024 Copa America, where they drew 0-0 with Canada.

Their squad for this window is heavily domestic-based, featuring five players from Colo-Colo, alongside familiar names like Ben Brereton Diaz, Dario Osorio, and captain Gabriel Suazo. Toronto FC defender Benjamin Kuscevic has been called up and could feature at his home stadium.

This match kicks off a trio of friendlies for Canada during this window. After facing Chile, the team will travel to face the United States in St. Paul, Minnesota. Hoilett's final act in a Canada shirt, earning his 70th cap in front of a home crowd, provides a poignant start to this new phase. Fans can explore more about the team's journey and player contributions in our comprehensive stats section.

This story first appeared at tsn.ca