Canada head coach Jesse Marsch has delivered an encouraging update on Alphonso Davies, confirming that the Bayern Munich star is fully healthy, mentally refreshed, and poised to play a central role in Canada’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
Davies, one of the fastest and most dynamic fullbacks in world football, suffered a serious knee injury last March during Canada’s Concacaf Nations League third-place match against the United States. The ligament damage sidelined him for nine months and raised concerns about his availability for 2026.
But those concerns are now fading.
Davies Looks Sharp After Long Recovery
Davies made his long-awaited return on Dec. 9 in Bayern Munich’s Champions League match, showing promising signs of rhythm and fitness. According to Marsch, the timing couldn’t be better for Canada.
“Alphonso got himself healthy before the winter break and played good minutes,” Marsch told ESPN. “After a two-week break, he basically gets a fresh preseason to rebuild. It’s ideal for getting him to 100 percent without unnecessary risk.”
Marsch said the coaching staff is closely tracking all Canadian players who recently recovered from long-term injuries, working carefully with their clubs to avoid setbacks.
Mentally Reset and Hungry to Play
Marsch emphasized that beyond the physical recovery, Davies is in a great mental space.
“If you talk to him right now, he feels regenerated and excited. When a player is out for a long time, that hunger to play again becomes even stronger. That’s definitely where Alphonso is.”
Canada will play Guatemala in a friendly on Jan. 18 as part of their pre-World Cup preparation, with more fixtures to be announced. Despite several defensive injuries in the squad, Marsch is confident in the team’s long-term potential.
Marsch: Canada Is Young, Explosive, and Growing
Canada enters the 2026 tournament ranked 27th in the FIFA world rankings and will host games as part of the expanded World Cup format. Still, their group is anything but easy — featuring Switzerland, Qatar, and the UEFA playoff winner (Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Bosnia & Herzegovina).
Marsch acknowledged the challenge:
“Depending on who comes out of the European playoff, we might end up in one of the toughest groups in the tournament. With the new format, even the ‘group of death’ looks different.”
If Italy qualifies, Canada could find itself with opponents equivalent to Pot 1, Pot 2, and Pot 3 teams while effectively entering as a Pot 4 underdog despite being co-hosts.
Still, Marsch remains optimistic:
“We have an explosive team that fits the type of football I want to play. The identity is growing, the confidence is growing, and we believe we can compete with strong opponents.”
Mexico’s Marcelo Flores Joins Canada’s January Camp
In a significant development, Mexico international Marcelo Flores has officially been called up to Canada’s January training camp. He previously trained with the squad informally last November, but this marks his first official involvement.
Flores will still need to file a one-time national team switch with FIFA to represent Canada at the World Cup.
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