Growing up on Edmonton's south side, Rayan Elloumi did what most Canadian kids do — his parents took him to the rink so he could learn how to skate and play hockey. But Elloumi absolutely hated being on skates. His mother, Houda, would have to bribe him with the promise of sweet buns from the local Safeway just to get her son to lace up his skates.
Lacing up soccer boots was a different thing entirely. He fell in love with soccer at an early age. By his teens, he was playing for BTB Academy, one of the most recognized clubs not only in Edmonton but in the country. He then made the move west to join the Vancouver Whitecaps academy and made his Major League Soccer debut in 2025 against the Columbus Crew.
Choosing Tunisia over Canada
Even though he was born in Canada, Elloumi has two passports. At just 18 years old, Tunisia called him into its squad for the 2026 World Cup. If he plays in a World Cup match, even a minute-long spell as a substitute, he will be permanently tied to the Tunisian national team and will lose all eligibility to play for Canada.
Elloumi was in pre-tournament camps for both Canada and Tunisia earlier this year, auditioning for Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch and Tunisian boss Sabri Lamoushi.
“It’s a big blessing because you can play for both countries, but at the same time it’s a little bit unique because, no matter who you choose, you always feel like you’re letting the other one down,” Elloumi said during a media availability before he left Vancouver to join the Tunisian side.
“My decision to play for Tunisia was always an open conversation. I was never really pressured into it. I had great conversations with not only my agent but coaches on both sides, from Jesse Marsch to Sabri Lamoushi in the Tunisian team. It was really just my decision, and I felt it was the right decision for me to go play, and also to play in a World Cup at 18 years old is an insane opportunity, I think.”
A different era for Canadian soccer
A generation ago, a decision by a Canada-born player to represent the country of his heritage would have been met with sorrow. Canadian soccer has a long history of players deciding not to choose Canada. Teal Bunbury, the son of former Canadian national team star Alex Bunbury, played for Canada as a youth but then opted to represent the United States. Two other famous examples are from Alberta: Calgary's Owen Hargreaves, who went on to play for Bayern Munich and Manchester United, opted to represent England rather than Canada. And Asmir Begovic, an Edmonton-raised goalkeeper who represented Canada at the U-20 World Cup, opted to represent Bosnia-Herzegovina. Begovic never forgot his Edmonton roots, though. Daryl Fordyce, the top scorer in FC Edmonton history, roomed with Begovic when they were teammates at Portsmouth. Fordyce said he first heard of Edmonton through Begovic's non-stop obsession with the Oilers.
But Canada's national team is different now. It is filled with players who play regularly in Europe or MLS. The team isn't desperate, and it was clear that Elloumi wasn't on the radar for a place on the Canadian roster for 2026. Canada has four strikers who will be vying for playing time: Juventus's Jonathan David, Promise David (Union SG, Belgium), Southampton's Cyle Larin, and Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal, Spain). A teenager who is currently a depth player with the Vancouver Whitecaps still has a lot of work to do to get into that rotation.
Elloumi's mother, Houda, expressed her pride: “So proud of him. He worked so hard for this opportunity, and we support his decision completely.” The family's journey from bribing him with sweet buns to watching him on the world stage is a testament to his dedication and talent.
