Alphonso Davies was named to Canada’s World Cup squad on Friday night, but it is too early to tell if he will be fit for the opening game due to a hamstring injury.
The Bayern Munich defender suffered the injury earlier this month in the Champions League semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Davis is the captain of the Canadian national team and is one of the most prominent players selected for the squad, along with Juventus forward Jonathan David, Southampton forward Cyle Larin and Villarreal midfielder Tajon Buchanan.
Coach Jesse Marsh named nine defenders, 10 midfielders, four forwards and three goalkeepers to his 26-man roster. world cupopens June 11th.
Coach Marsh added Davis to the team’s latest 32-man training camp roster earlier this week, but he did not join the team immediately and remained in Germany to continue his recovery.
The team trained in Charlotte, North Carolina, last week ahead of a warm-up game against Uzbekistan in Edmonton on Monday and the Irish on June 5 in Montreal.
Canada co-hosts the World Cup with the United States and Mexico. Canada is in Group B along with Switzerland, Qatar and Bosnia and Herzegovina. defeated Italy in the European playoffs.
The Canadians will play all three group stage games at home. Canada, ranked 30th in the world, opens the season against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12th.
Canada has previously appeared in two World Cups, in 1986 and 2022 in Mexico, but the team has never made it past the group stage. Davis scored his country’s first goal at the World Cup four years ago in Qatar, when the team finished bottom of their group. We lost to Croatia 4-1.
Other players returning from injury for the club include forward Promise David, who recently underwent hip surgery for a torn tendon in February, and defender Moises Bonvito, who has not played for the national team since breaking his foot in a 2-2 draw with Monaco in October.
Midfielder Jakob Schaffelburg is also on the roster despite suffering a hamstring injury earlier this month.
Manager Marsh has not named a starter between goaltenders Maxime Crepeau and Dane St. Clair. Both sides will play in an upcoming friendly before Marsh makes a decision.
“We know what’s going to happen in terms of decisions and we’re mature enough to understand our role on the team no matter what the decision is,” Crepeau said during the team announcement on Canadian television. “We know we’re here for each other and the team on and off the field.”
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Canadian representative:
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Barnsley), Dane St. Clair (Inter Miami).
Defenders: Moises Bonvito (Nice), Derek Cornelius (Rangers), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Luc de Fougerolles (Dender EH), Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough), Richie Larrier (Toronto), Nico Sigur (Hayduk Split), Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed (Norwich City), Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal), Mathieu Chauniere (LAFC), Stephane Eustaquio (LAFC), Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL), Ismael Kone (Sassuolo), Liam Miller (Hull City), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto), Nathan Dylan Saliba (Anderlecht), Jakob Schaffelburg (LAFC).
Forwards: Jonathan David (Juventus), Promise David (Royal Union Saint-Giroise), Cyle Larin (Southampton), Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal).
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
