Canadian defender Alistair Johnston has taken aim at Frontier Airlines after claiming the carrier sent him to the wrong city and misplaced his luggage in the aftermath of Canada’s World Cup exit. The co-hosts were knocked out last Saturday following a 3-0 defeat to Morocco in Houston, a result that ended their run at the last-16 stage. A day later, Johnston shared his frustration on X while apparently attempting to return to Canada. “Learned my lesson today. Never fly @FlyFrontier even if it’s the only direct flight available,” he wrote. “Genuinely look for multi-stop redeye flights before flying with them. I’m still not sure where my bags are and I’m in the wrong city somehow.”
Johnston did not specify where his journey began or where he was supposed to land. The Canadian Men’s National Team’s official account responded to his post by asking: “Where did they send you?” but the Celtic full-back had not publicly answered. Another X user, Danny Pham, who shared a photo he took with Johnston at the gate, said the travel situation had been “genuinely ridiculous” and that they eventually boarded the next connecting flight after being rebooked. “Frontier turned a 2.5 hour flight into 8-9 hours flight (plus) a horrendous delay(14hours),” he wrote. Pham also suggested Johnston’s bags might still be at their original departure airport, before later adding that he believed he had spotted the luggage at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina.
Canada made history despite last-16 exit
The chaotic travel update came after a disappointing end to what had otherwise been a landmark tournament for Canada. Despite the heavy defeat to Morocco, the team made history by reaching the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time. Before the 2026 edition, Canada had appeared in the group stage only twice and had failed to win a match on both occasions. Johnston was a constant presence throughout the campaign, starting every game and playing the full 90 minutes in each of Canada’s matches before their elimination in the round of 16. Head coach Jesse Marsch, however, faced criticism after the loss for comments he made in a post-match interview.
Marsch on Canada’s World Cup exit
!['What a privilege our fans have had to root a team on like this,' Marsch stated in the viral broadcast interview. '[A team] that goes after the game, that doesn't play defensive, that shows that they can be better.' 'Of course, we have to be in these situations more and more,' the 52-year-old manager continued. 'And then we have to find ways to succeed and build on that.' 'I'd rather be us than them! As good as Morocco is, I'd rather be us.' 'I'm really proud of our guys, we went after the game. They're hurting right now but I couldn't be prouder,' he concluded, before adding a final 'I thank Canada' to the reporter. The bold declaration immediately went viral across social media, with fans completely baffled by the American coach's refusal to accept the reality of the 3-0 thrashing.](https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/07/08/18/109788279-0-_What_a_privilege_our_fans_have_had_to_root_a_team_on_like_this_-a-134_1783533106181.jpg)
“What a privilege our fans have had to root a team on like this,” Marsch said in remarks that quickly spread online. “[A team] that goes after the game, that doesn’t play defensive, that shows that they can be better.” The 52-year-old added: “Of course, we have to be in these situations more and more. And then we have to find ways to succeed and build on that.” He then made the comment that drew the most attention, saying: “I’d rather be us than them! As good as Morocco is, I’d rather be us.” Marsch closed by saying he was proud of his players despite their pain after the defeat, adding: “I thank Canada.” His defiant tone sparked widespread reaction on social media, with many fans questioning the remark in light of Morocco’s convincing 3-0 win.
