Canada head coach Jesse Marsch believes captain Alphonso Davies will play in the World Cup, although it’s unlikely he’ll be ready for the team’s opener because of injury.
Davies injured his hamstring earlier this month while playing for Bayern Munich. Marsch included Davies on Monday on the team’s latest 32-player training camp roster, but he will not join the team until the end of the month to allow him to continue his rehab with the German club.
鈥淏ayern has put him through certain protocols that they can do in Germany that they can鈥檛 do in North America. So that鈥檚 one of the reasons why he stayed in Germany, because we think they have some advanced techniques in terms of the treatments that he can get, so we think that that鈥檚 been good,鈥� Marsch said. 鈥淭hey also are very supportive, and they want to see him play in the World Cup. I think that they understand that supporting their players for both club and country is important.鈥�
Canada is training this week in Charlotte, North Carolina, ahead of a pair of final preparation matches against Uzbekistan on June 1 in Edmonton and against Ireland on June 5 in Montreal.
鈥淎lfonso will be here on the 31st in Edmonton. So we spoke with Bayern and thought that the best thing for him was to continue his initial recovery treatment until the 28th, then we鈥檙e giving him a few days to get away, and then he鈥檒l be joining us the 31st and we鈥檒l pick up his rehab from there, and try to put him in a position to physically succeed and to be part of our team,” Marsch said.
Canada is scheduled to announce its 26-player World Cup squad on Friday. The tournament, co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, begins on June 11. Canada’s opening match is against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12.
Davies, 25, was hurt during Bayern Munich鈥檚 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals. He has played in 58 matches for Canada with 15 goals.
鈥淵es, I think Alphonso will play in the World Cup,鈥� Marsch said. 鈥淣o, I don鈥檛 think he鈥檒l be ready quite on June 12. But we鈥檒l see.鈥�
Canada’s training camp roster by position with club affiliation:
Goalkeepers: Maxime Cr茅peau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Barnsley), Dayne St. Clair (Inter Miami).
Defenders: Zorhan Bassong (Sporting Kansas City), Mo茂se Bombito (Nice), Derek Cornelius (Rangers), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Luc de Fougerolles (Dender EH), Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough), Jamie Knight-Lebel (Swindon Town), Richie Laryea (Toronto), Ralph Priso (Vancouver Whitecaps), Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split), Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed (Norwich City), Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal), Mathieu Choini猫re (LAFC), Stephen Eust谩quio (LAFC), Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL), Isma毛l Kon茅 (Sassuolo), Liam Millar (Hull City), Jayden Nelson (Austin), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto), Nathan-Dylan Saliba (Anderlecht), Jacob Shaffelburg (LAFC).
Forwards: Jonathan David (Juventus), Promise David (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise), Daniel Jebbison (Preston North End), Cyle Larin (Southampton), Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal), Jacen Russell-Rowe (Toulouse).
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