Canada Assembles Star-Studded Squad for World Cup 2026 Despite Injury Concerns
Head coach Jesse Marsch has announced the inclusion of Alphonso Davies, the Bayern Munich defender, in what he describes as the best 26-man squad ever assembled by co-hosts Canada for this summer's World Cup. Despite recovering from a hamstring injury, Davies, 25, has been deemed fit enough for selection. Joining him in the squad are notable players including: Jonathan David (Juventus forward) Stephen Eustaquio (Porto midfielder) Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal) Tani Oluwaseyi Cyle Larin (Southampton forward) Marsch expressed confidence, stating, "We have really our best group of 26 players that this country has ever assembled at any one time." He acknowledged that while not all players are at full fitness, they are close. Davies faces a tight timeline to recover for Canada's opening game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 June, following his injury in the Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain. This injury came after a series of muscle issues post his return from an eight-month layoff due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear suffered in October. Marsch noted the critical nature of player health in his decisions, saying, "The real X factor... was to determine which players are gonna be healthy." He remains optimistic about the squad's strength as they prepare for the tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July across Canada, the US, and Mexico. As one of three co-hosts, Canada will attempt to secure their first World Cup win, playing all three group matches on home soil, starting in Toronto before facing Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-05-30