Canada continued preparations for its second FIFA World Cup group-stage match on Monday without Alphonso Davies returning to full training, as the star defender remains on a structured recovery program following a hamstring injury.
Davies joined teammates at the National Soccer Development Centre after Canada’s squad arrived in Vancouver from Toronto, where it opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina. While the Bayern Munich defender participated in portions of the warm-up session, team officials confirmed he has not yet been cleared to resume full training.
The 25-year-old remains under the team’s return-to-play protocol ahead of Thursday’s Group B encounter against Qatar, leaving uncertainty over whether he will be available for one of Canada’s most important matches of the tournament.
Davies’ absence has been a significant concern for Canada, with the versatile defender regarded as one of the country’s most influential players on both ends of the field. His pace, attacking runs and defensive versatility have made him a cornerstone of Canada’s recent rise on the international stage.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Davies’ availability, Canada’s players expressed confidence that the squad has enough depth to cope if he is unable to feature against Qatar.
“He is one of the best players on our team. He’s a world-class player, so obviously having him in the lineup would be amazing,” defender Joel Waterman told Reuters after Monday’s training session.
“At the same time, we have complete confidence in everyone on the roster. Whoever is called upon to step in will be ready to do the job.”
Canada enters the second round of Group B fixtures in an unusually balanced position. After the opening matches, all four teams in the group have identical records, with one point, one goal scored and one goal conceded, leaving qualification for the knockout stage wide open.
Switzerland will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Los Angeles before Canada meets Qatar later Thursday in Vancouver, with every result likely to have a major impact on the race for the top two positions in the group.
A victory would significantly strengthen Canada’s chances of reaching the knockout rounds, while another draw could leave qualification depending on the final group-stage matches.
Davies has spent recent days working toward full fitness after missing competitive action with his hamstring problem. Although Monday’s partial participation represented another step in his rehabilitation, team officials stopped short of indicating when he is expected to return to full training or match action.
Canada’s coaching staff is expected to continue monitoring his condition over the coming days before making a final decision on his availability for the clash against Qatar.
With Group B remaining completely level after one round of matches, Canada hopes either to welcome its captain back to the lineup or continue relying on the depth that earned an opening point as it pursues a place in the World Cup knockout stage.
