Los Angeles [US], May 31: Canada coach Jesse Marsch appears hopeful that captain Alphonso Davies can play a role after all in their World Cup opener on June 12 in a comeback from injury. Bayern Munich left back Davies has been sidelined with a hamstring problem since the beginning of the month.
He was still nominated on Friday into the 26-player squad for the June 11-July 19 tournament Canada co-hosts with the United States and Mexico.
Marsch suggested earlier in the week that the first match on June 12 against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto may be too early.
He said on Friday: "He is already on the pitch running, and so we've got to just kind of see where he's at in his overall progression, and then we've got to try to find ways to accelerate him, but he's super excited to get here."
Davies is still in Germany, and Marsch added: "I'm really hopeful that he has a few days to get away, and that he can come here and be fresh." Canada's other group stage opponents are Switzerland and Qatar. They play final warm-up matches on Monday against Uzbekistan and on June 5 against Ireland.
Davies, 25, is the most prominent player in Marsch's squad but has also been plagued by injuries.
He missed many months last year with a cruciate knee ligament tear and played only 841 minutes spread over 23 matches for Bundesliga and German Cup champions Bayern in the 2025-26 season where he had other injury setbacks as well.
Source: Qatar Tribune
