Sam Tighe
Canada manager Jesse Marsch said star player Alphonso Davies is excited to be playing again and is ready to have a key role in the 2026 World Cup, having suffered a long-term injury last year.
Davies, 25, is one of the quickest players in the world, but tore a ligament and sustained other damage in his right knee while playing for Canada against the United States in a Concacaf Nations League third-place game in March.
After nine months out, the left back made his return to action on Dec. 9 for club side Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, and Marsch is keen to have him involved in Canada’s buildup to the summer’s World Cup.
“Alphonso got himself healthy before the winter break, played some good minutes in certain matches,” he told ESPN. “Now, after a two-week break, he’s back at it again, and has like a new preseason to build himself up.
“I think that this is an ideal situation in terms of getting him back to 100% in top form, without risk, lowering the risk of potential injuries. We’re monitoring all the guys [in the Canada squad] who have had long-term injuries, and trying to communicate with them and with their clubs to be on the cautious side of their return-to-play protocols.
“I think Alphonso is poised. If you talk to him right now, mentally and physically he’s regenerated and excited. That’s what happens a lot of times when you’re out for a long time; more than anything you’re just so excited to be playing football again. That’s definitely where he’s at.”
Canada take on Guatemala in a friendly on Jan. 18, before their pre-tournament plans are revealed. But Marsch has high hopes for the summer.
“Alphonso just came back and five of our other most-important defenders are injured right now,” he said. “A lot of the tournament will come down to how healthy we are, how fit we are. But we have an explosive team.
“One of the reasons why I came to Canada was because I knew that there was an explosive team; a team that I could imagine playing the kind of football that I like to teach. We’ll have plenty of challenges along the way, but I think we’ve grown a lot into the football that we want to play. I think the identity has been solidified and the confidence has grown.
“We do believe that we have a team that can perform well against good opponents and in tournament.”
Still, Canada (27th in the latest FIFA world rankings) won’t have an easy time of things, having been paired in a group alongside Switzerland (17), Qatar (54) and one of the UEFA playoff qualifiers (either Italy/ Wales/Northern Ireland/Bosnia & Herzegovina).
“The biggest takeaway [from the draw] for me is, depending upon who comes out of the European group, we could wind up having the toughest group in the tournament,” Marsch said. “You knew that the level of difficulty of the groups wasn’t going to be what they were in the past. So even the group of death takes on a different kind of connotation, I think, with the new format.
“[But] let’s say Italy makes it through, then Italy would be considered like a Pot One team. Switzerland would be Pot Two. Qatar would be Pot Three. So in the end, and as a host nation, it’s almost like we’re Pot Four instead of Pot One, right?
“So in that sense, it’s not ideal. But at the same time, we like our team. The World Cup is not supposed to be easy regardless of who we get.”
