The Result Has A Second Meaning
From broken bones to strained hamstrings and ruptured ligaments, Canada’s top players have been battered by a wave of injuries ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The setbacks have forced head coach Jesse Marsch to reshape his plans and shuffle the roster just weeks before the tournament kicks off.
“There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes to get our players in the best position to succeed,” Marsch said at the team’s training camp in Charlotte, N.C., last month. “We’re not making excuses – we’ll stay positive and do everything we can to be ready.”
That's the kind of injury timeline that turns roster planning into calendar management.
Canada opens against Bosnia‑Herzegovina in Toronto on Friday, but the side will likely be missing its biggest star. Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies suffered a hamstring strain in a Champions League semi‑final in early May and has yet to rejoin full training with the national squad. The injury is the latest in a string of problems – including a torn ACL – that have kept the 25‑year‑old defender out of Canada’s line‑up since March 2025.
“It was tough,” Davies said after watching his teammates face Uzbekistan in Edmonton earlier this month. “The last year has been up and down with the ACL and a few muscle setbacks, but I’m keeping my head down and working to get back as fast as possible.”
Marsch has already made one roster change. Midfielder Marcelo Flores ruptured his ACL in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final on May 30 and was replaced by 23‑year‑old winger Jayden Nelson from Brampton, Ont.
Centre back Moïse Bombito, 26, is also battling to recover. He fractured his left tibia playing for OCG Nice in October and has been rebuilding both his fitness and confidence. “I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress,” he said at the camp. “Being here, running with the team, shows I’m close to being back.”
The Part Worth Keeping
Bombito leaned on teammates Maxime Crépeau and Tajon Buchanan for advice on returning from a broken leg. “They gave me feedback on how to handle the pounding and break the fear mentally,” he said. “It’s been a big help.”
He logged 31 minutes in Canada’s 2‑0 win over Uzbekistan, icing his leg after the match. He was on the bench for the 1‑1 draw with Ireland in Montreal but did not enter the game.
“Moise, we’ll go day by day,” Marsch said on Monday. “He looked good today, so that’s a positive sign.”
Ali Ahmed, a 25‑year‑old winger, suffered a hamstring strain while playing for Norwich City in early May. He feared it could end his World Cup chance, but after training in North Carolina he was included in the 26‑man roster. “I dodged a bullet,” he said. “Maybe my body needed a break.”
It’s a quiet crisis: the players say the right things, but the body counts days.
Veteran right back Alistair Johnston, who had hamstring surgery last fall and returned late April with Celtic, understands the delicate balance. “You want to be playing for form, not just fitness,” he said. “June 12 is going to be a massive test.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.