Thursday’s OneSoccer Player & Pundit Hangout session featured Montreal Impact midfielder Shamit Shome.
In talking to OneSoccer hosts Asa Rehman, Oliver Platt, and Adam Jenkins, Shome discussed breaking through with the Canadian national team earlier this year.
A 22-year-old native of Edmonton, Shome played for Canada at the youth level before making his debut for the senior side in January, when he earned a pair of caps in international friendlies vs. Barbados and Iceland.
“It was amazing for me; it was a big honour. For me, one of the big reasons why I wanted to get a taste of professional soccer is when I first got my chance with the national team at the U-18 level, when I got my first taste of that and realized I could hold my own there, that’s what really pushed me to be a pro player,” Shome said.
“At the beginning of last year, a big goal of mine was to become a member of the national team program a bit more.”
Shome joined FC Edmonton’s youth academy in 2015 before making his senior team for the Eddies the following year in the NASL. He impressed enough with his hometown club that he earned a move to MLS with the Impact in 2017.
“It was huge (for his development). Never in my first year in the NASL did I think it would go like that and automatically jump to MLS,” Shome said of his pre-CPL days with FC Edmonton.
He later added: “Looking back on it, it was really great being a part of (FC Edmonton); it was great playing for my hometown team.”
Other topics discussed on OneSoccer’s Player & Pundit Hangout with Shamit Shome included how he’s dealing with this period of self-isolation, his time in MLS since signing with Montreal in 2017, playing for Thierry Henry, and much more.
“At the beginning, it was intimidating. This guy was at the top of the top, and now he’s coaching us – who knows what he thinks of us,” Shome said about his early experiences under Henry.
To watch Thursday’s OneSoccer Player & Pundit Hangout with Shamit Shome in full, click here.