MONTRÉAL — Alphonso Davies touched a ball on Wednesday. On a scorching hot day in Montréal, that small act carried some weight. The Bayern Munich fullback is recovering from a hamstring strain sustained in the UEFA Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain in May, and Canada's first World Cup home game arrives June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"Anything is possible in life," Davies told reporters. "It all depends on how the recovery is going, how these next few days, this week, leading up to the game go."
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The 25-year-old was among five Canadian players on the 26-man roster not in full training two days before the final tuneup match against Ireland. He worked one-on-one with a trainer, focusing on jogging at different paces below sprint pace before incorporating changes of direction and touches on the ball—a step forward in his return-to-play protocols.
Doctors initially projected a recovery timeline of between four and five weeks, which aligns with Canada's opening match. Davies had spent time recovering with FC Bayern Munich before taking a couple of days away to rest after the season. On Monday, he joined the Canadian group in Edmonton and watched the national team beat Uzbekistan 2–0. The squad relocated to Montréal on Tuesday.
Manager Jesse Marsch refused to rule out the opening match. "He's a freak athlete, man, and this guy is a competitor," Marsch said. "Without trying to put pressure on him, I really believe in Alphonso. We're taking it day by day... he's shown to be a quick healer over the years, so I'm not counting him out."
Davies admitted the injury had taken an emotional toll, particularly after an ACL tear in the March 2025 Concacaf Nations League third-place game and several other muscle issues. "I was going into a hole where I was doubting myself," he said. "I had some time off, and I thought about why I'm doing this and why this is important to me... mentally, it was very draining suffering these injuries."
He also acknowledged a truth that has become evident over the past year: the team can play well without him. Richie Laryea, who played 30 minutes against Uzbekistan in his return from injury, has been outstanding over the past 14 months at left back, while Niko Sigur and Alistair Johnston provide cover on the right side of defense. Stephen Eustáquio would likely lead the team as captain if Davies cannot play.
If Davies is unable to play the opener, the next opportunity comes six days later on June 18 against Qatar at Vancouver's BC Place, where he began his professional career with the Vancouver Whitecaps. Canada remains in Vancouver until at least the end of the group stage, which concludes June 24 against Switzerland.
A captain who helped bring the World Cup home now waits to see if his body will let him play
Davies gave an impassioned speech ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia as a 17-year-old that helped secure Canada's qualification. Eight years later, the first World Cup match on Canadian soil is eight days away, and the team's best player is still uncertain whether he will be ready. The hamstring has improved since a quickly deleted interview last week in which he said he would miss the opener, but "day by day" is about all anyone can promise right now.
One Last Read On The Waiting Game
The small conclusion is that an injury report is never just paperwork; it is the part of the story where plans stop sounding confident and start checking the calendar.