Henrik Sedin’s son, Valter to play for Canadian national soccer team
If you ever dreamed of a Sedin representing Canada on the international stage, that dream is about to come true.
On Monday, Valter Sedin, son of former Vancouver Canucks star and Hockey Hall of Famer Henrik Sedin, was called up to the Canadian men’s national under-18 soccer team.
Valter, 18, grew up watching his dad star for the Canucks, and has been on the professional soccer pathway in the Vancouver Whitecaps MLS Academy for several seasons. Recently, he joined Swedish side Hammarby IF in their under-19 program.
After standing out in the men’s amateur level with Vancouver, he earned his first professional appearances for the Whitecaps’ MLS Next Pro team – one step below Major League Soccer – in 2024. He made the move overseas in February 2025, where he will look to crack the first-team in one of Europe’s best developmental leagues.
“Growing up with a dad who was a star athlete in Vancouver, it doesn’t seem normal to many people. To me, it was normal. Some of my favourite memories are just being in and around the training environment and getting to watch my dad play,” he said in a Whitecaps Academy promotional video in 2023. “My short-term goals are obviously to make it onto a national team.”
Checking into the match in the 78th minute, Valter Sedin (#55) of the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy.
Son of Henrik Sedin.
33+22=55
Whitecaps leading 4-2 in this one v @AltitudeFC_ca, with a hat-trick from Michael Hennessy.#Canucks pic.twitter.com/GOCAoVcJ0g
Previously, Valter has represented Sweden at the youth national team level, but is eligible to represent both his father’s nation and Canada. Meanwhile, he follows in his dad’s soccer footsteps as well, as Henrik had a trial with Sweden’s Djurgården before focusing on his hockey career.
“We played both soccer and hockey. We love football. I think it’s almost as fun to watch soccer as hockey,” Henrik said. “Soccer is very big in Canada. There are a lot of people who start with the sport and if you are Swedish, soccer is also very big. I remember in 2018 when Sweden had a good World Cup, then we were at home in Övik. After that, [Valter] became incredibly addicted.”
While he has since changed his number, Valter spent his time in the Whitecaps youth ranks with the No. 55, the sum of his dad Henrik’s famed No. 33 and uncle Daniel’s No. 22, which hang in the rafters of Rogers Arena.
The Canadian squad will take on Finland on Sept. 5, and then head to Switzerland on Sept. 7, as they build towards the qualification stages for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will use the U-19 level as qualifying in 2026.
The Sedin twins, meanwhile, have remained in Vancouver since retiring in 2019, and are currently among the player development staff with the Canucks.