World Cup: Hull City and Canada winger Liam Millar - a 'skinny kid who played soccer' - has last laugh

The summer of the Hull City winger’s sporting life commences shortly when he represents his nation in a World Cup which will be partly played out on home soil.

The Maple Leafs, managed by former Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch, take the field for their Group B opener on Friday when they face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Millar’s home city of Toronto.

It will be an emotional moment for the 26-year-old, who very much bucked the trend while growing up in nearby Brampton by choosing ‘soccer’ over ice hockey, the sport of choice for the overwhelming majority of young Ontarians.

The fact that Millar’s father, Alan, was on Charlton Athletic’s books as a youngster helps to explain his fascination with football.

Like his dad, he headed to England in pursuit of a career in the round-ball game after spent countless hours practicing with his ‘old man’.

Sometimes, he pulled a net in front of American football goalposts when few of his school mates were around. They mocked his passion for the round-ball game.

On Friday, as he steps onto the world stage at the Toronto Stadium, Millar can reflect on having the last laugh.

Millar told The Yorkshire Post: "When I was a kid, you played football from five to ten maybe and you were just ‘running around’.

"Your parents (usually) just wanted you to run around and do whatever.

"Then once you get to ten years old, it's kind of like no one's really playing it seriously anymore (in Canada).

"Everyone was always into hockey. Hockey was the path and the way. There were so many hockey players in my school wearing their big hockey jackets…

"I was just there, the skinny guy who played soccer. A lot of the guys would tell me: ‘you're such a…’ - I obviously can't say the word. ‘But you play soccer, hockey's a man's sport’.. It was all this stuff, you know what I mean?

"I feel for me it was also a little bit like dealing with adversity from being young. If you're very easily influenced - and kids are telling you that the sport is bad, you need to play this - it can easily change you.

"But I've always been committed and determined and focused on football and I've never changed. I feel like that's very rare for kids from Canada.

"I think a lot of the guys who are on the team now were in very similar situations to me.

"That's why we've all just come through because we've all just been through a lot to reach this point, you know?.

"It's such a cool thing to see from growing up where it's not big to now where it's becoming massive.

"I cannot wait to see what this country will do after it. It's one of the biggest events, if not the biggest event in the world when it comes to sporting events.”

After Friday's opener, co-hosts Canada face Qatar in Vancouver on June 18 with their final group game being against Switzerland, also at the same venue.

Reaching the knock-out stages of the global competition for the first time - their previous appearances saw them fail to get past the group stages in 2022 and 1986 - looks an achievable aim.

Fresh from being promoted to the big time with Hull City, Millar is eyeing history.

In August, he will join the select group of Canadians to play in the Premier League - joining the likes of one-time Ipswich Town goalkeeper Craig Forrest and ex-Everton and Fulham forward Thomas Radzinski in achieving that milestone.

The pride will be manifest among his sporting family - his wife Daniela Paniccia is a former ice hockey player - this summer. It's been some journey, more especially given some major injury issues for Millar.

Millar, who returned to action last autumn after the best part of a year out with a serious knee injury, added: "I think I've been very lucky with the people that I've had around me to be able to help me to get where I am.

"Obviously, my dad has been a massive influence in my life. He moved over from Canada with me to help me pursue a dream.

"Him sacrificing a lot for me was obviously a fantastic thing. In terms of team-mates I've played with, I think Junior Hoilett (who also hails from Brampton) has been a big one for me. I always look at Junior like my older brother.

"He has done nothing but help me in football. Whenever I have a question, whenever I need something."