Canada’s captain, Alphonso Davies, was limited in Monday’s training session as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury during the team’s preparations for the World Cup.
While Davies joined his teammates for warm-ups at Canada’s training base, he remained under return-to-play protocols ahead of Thursday’s crucial group match against Qatar at BC Place in Vancouver.
The left back suffered the hamstring injury last month while playing for Bayern Munich in a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain, a match that resulted in Bayern’s elimination from the Champions League semifinals.
Davies has not represented Canada since March 2025, when he suffered an ACL tear during the Concacaf Nations League finals. He boasts a record of 15 goals in 58 international appearances.
Canada began their World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday in Toronto, with late substitute Cyle Larin scoring a crucial equalizer in the 78th minute.
Meanwhile, Qatar managed to secure an impressive 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Saturday in Santa Clara, California, with Boualem Khoukhi netting a stoppage-time goal, marking Qatar’s first-ever point in World Cup history.
Following the opening matches, Group B remains tightly contested, with each team currently on one point heading into their next games.
“We understand that the group is wide open,” defender Joel Waterman stated after practice. “We’re aware that the top two teams advance, and we aim to secure one of those spots. The opportunity remains for all teams.”
– Remember Canada: Why the opening draw underscores that this is their World Cup, too
– Jesse Marsch: Canada must leverage Toronto’s ‘hostile environment’ throughout the rest of their WC journey
– Dempsey criticizes Marsch over US anthem comments: Stay in your lane
“Every match will be a challenge. Qatar is going to be tough, and of course facing Switzerland in the final group match will be difficult, so we’re aiming for two victories.”
Canada is conducting their training at the National Soccer Development Centre affiliated with the University of British Columbia, a facility also used by Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps.
During Monday’s practice session, all players participated fully except for Davies.