With all the turbulence in football politics, up until two months ago we weren't even sure if Belize was going to be sending a team to the World Cup trials. That is until the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) and the Belize Premier Football League (BPFL) made an eleventh hour deal. With that truce, a unified if slightly undermanned national team headed to Canada today to play its first match against Canada. Our 22-member team will play both games of the tournament on enemy territory in Canada.

The team departed the Phillip SW Goldson airport this afternoon and 7NEWS was there for the send-off.

Keith Swift Reporting,
In the PGIA departure lounge this afternoon, our national football team carried Belize's pride on their shirts, on their faces, and in their words. The team is led by Captain Robert Mushchamp.

Robert Muschamp, Team Captain
"I have a group of guys that I have a lot of confidence in so at this point I feel really good."

Vallan Symms, National Football Team
"I feel really good. We played some test games and we didn't lose any. We know it is going to be on a different level in Canada so we just have to go there and keep our head up and keep focused and get the job done."

Charlie Slusher, National Football Team
"Looking at the team we have a lot of talent. I definitely think that the team is prepared to face Canada in this game so it is a good feeling."

Robert Muschamp,
"I feel that everybody, after we had a little get-together last night and listening to all the comments from each and every individual player, is confident and anxious to get on this plane and reach to Canada and see what they have. At this point Canada is not even looking at Belize and we have to let them change that. I think this is the time for Belize to step up higher in the FIFA ranking."

And speaking of the FIFA ranking, we are going up against Canada, which is at 93. Belize? Well we are at 179.

Garrincha Adderley, National Team Coach
"We are ranked so low because over the last two years we have been inactive at what we call the 'A' level; the national team 'A' level. And it is by the performance of your national team that you get graded. Since we were inactive we slipped down. But it doesn't say a lot because look at it this way: Guatemala is ranked ahead of Canada and we just played a Guatemala club. Eventhough it is a fourth place Guatemala club we did good enough; fairly well."

Charlie Slusher,
"I always have a lot of confidence in my Belizean players. A lot of the rankings are because we do not play a lot of international games. With all the problems that Belize has been having over the years when it comes to international play, some of the players haven't played an international game in about three years or more. But we have watched some tapes with Canada and we believe that we stand a good chance of beating them or doing well against them."

But notably missing in the departure lounge was arguably Belize's best player, star forward Norman "Tilliman" Nunez. The team says they will miss Tilliman but they must do without him.

Garrincha Adderley, Coach
"That was Tilliman's choice, not ours. We invited him and others to come into the camp."

Vallan Symms,
"Right now it is not the best team. You have some next players there like Tilliman, Bent Burgess, and Hilberto Muschamp. But those guys don't come to training camp so I would say this is the best team right now that is available to go. And we have to go out there and get the job done."

Robert Muschamp, Captain
"If Norman wanted to be here, he would have been here. Yes I believe he should have been here because of the experience and the exposure that he has. But like I said if he wanted to be here he would have been here. We can't worry and lament over that. We have to use what we have and what we are taking with us right now."

Edon "Yellowman" Rowley, National Team
"We would have wanted him here but everybody got a fair chance of coming to try-out for the national team. We have to do with what we have here."

Keith Swift,
"Any predictions?"

Edon "Yellowman" Rowley,
"Well we want to come back with probably two wins."

Vallan Symms,
"I say we are going to beat Canada 1-0 in the first game and draw the second one."

Garrincha Adderley, Coach
"At this time I can only predict a win for Belize. It would be unfair to say anything else."

Robert Muschamp,
"I don't want to make any predictions. I just wish my guys would go out with all that confidence and play as if they are playing a semi-pro championship here in Belize with all that boost and confidence. I know that if we go out there and play our game, play our style of ball, and don't get too frightened and anxious or greedy to get at the goal - with patience we can do well."

The first game will be played on Sunday afternoon at 2 local time. The second game will be on Wednesday night at 7:30 local time. Both games will be aired live on Canadian pay-per-view. You can however track the games and team on the FFB's web site.