Canada's World Cup run ended without Alphonso Davies playing in the knockout loss to Morocco, reigniting debate over how his injury was handled by the national team. The Bayern Munich star missed all three group games due to an injury suffered in May, and despite a brief 15-minute cameo in the last-32 win over South Africa, he was not used in the 3-0 defeat to Morocco.
Davies absence raises questions
Canada's hopes hinged on the form of their one world-class player, Alphonso Davies. This has been the case for every major competition since his international debut in 2017. Over the last nine years, Davies has transformed Canada's fortunes, helping them reach the quarter-finals or further in five consecutive Gold Cups and qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. However, at this World Cup, Davies was sidelined.
As Canada chased an equalizer against Morocco, fans wondered when Davies would come off the bench. Coach Jesse Marsch never brought him on, and Canada lost 3-0, ending their World Cup hopes.
Injury history and controversy
The past 15 months have seen Davies on the trainer's table far too often. He made just 13 Bundesliga appearances this season as he recovered from a serious injury. The trouble dates back to March 2025, when Canada played Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League semi-final. Davies played the full 90 minutes, but Mexico won 2-0. In the third-place match against the United States, Canada chose to play Davies, and in the 12th minute he tore his ACL.
Bayern Munich were not happy, with the team's board member for sport saying, "There is unfortunately always a danger that players come back injured, and this time it has hit us especially hard." Davies's agent, Nedal Huoseh, added, "Alphonso was not 100% after the Mexico game and it was planned that he was not going to start against the USA. As captain, I feel he was pressured to start the game by the coach. Alphonso is not the kind of guy to say no in those moments. Canada Soccer needs to do a better job managing these players."
Missed opportunity
Canada's last-16 finish and first-ever men's World Cup knockout win is commendable, but questions remain about what could have been if Davies's fitness had been better managed. The run-up to a World Cup on home soil is tricky, with friendlies replacing high-pressure qualifiers. Coaches must build team spirit and discover which players are ready for big moments. The US match was deemed big enough to test Davies, but he could have been withheld with an eye on keeping the nation's star player fit.
On Saturday, Huoseh's claim that Canada's players weren't adequately managed looked prescient. Facing a high-pressure scenario, Marsch was unable to call upon his most dynamic option. After the Morocco match, Davies said, "To be honest, obviously, we want players on the pitch that are 100% to play the game and 100% to give everything, and I felt like I wasn't there yet, and so this is why we made the decision – or I made the decision – to sit out."
On a grand occasion where his national team needed him most, he wasn't able to give everything – a calamitous conclusion to an otherwise successful World Cup for Canada.
