Head coach Jesse Marsch says Canada captain Alphonso Davies is ready to play in the FIFA World Cup.
Marsch spoke to reporters at a press conference on Saturday ahead of Canada’s round-of-32 knockout game against South Africa in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The 25-year-old star left back has not played since early May when he suffered a hamstring injury playing for Bayern Munich in a Champions League semifinal.
Davies joined the national squad in Edmonton at the end of May and, working with a personal trainer, followed return-to-play protocols before joining his teammates in full training.
Questions surround how Canada has handled the Alphonso Davies will-he-or-won’t-he-play saga at World Cup
He was not available when Canada opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12, but was on the bench for the country’s 6-0 victory over Qatar in Vancouver on June 18.
Canada head coach Jesse Marsch initially said he expected Davies to play in the country’s group-stage finale against Switzerland in Vancouver last Wednesday, but did not bring him off the bench and later said he used the talent as a “decoy” to disrupt the Swiss, who ultimately won the game 2-1.
