Canadian superstar Alphonso Davies pivots on status for World Cup opener: ‘Anything is possible’

As World Cup opener nears, Canadian captain Alphonso Davies keeps pushing his recovery from latest injury.

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Published Jun 04, 2026  •  Last updated 5 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies looks on with sunglasses on the back of his head during celebrations for the Bundesliga trophy after the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Cologne in Munich, southern Germany, on May 16, 2026. Photo by ALEXANDRA BEIER /AFP via Getty Images

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The mere presence of Alphonso Davies doing drills with his Canadian teammates in Montreal this week has to be seen as a huge motivational boost.

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But when will he actually play in the most anticipated World Cup in the nation’s history?

Let’s just say it’s complicated and apparently a status changing by the day and each Canadian city he visits.

Already this week we’ve had coach Jesse Marsch hint that it’s doubtful that Davies will be fit to participate in next Friday’s tournament opener in Toronto, followed by his captain declaring “the first game won’t be possible.”

Then, a day after that proclamation and following that team training session in Montreal, where the Canadian squad will face Ireland in its final send-off contest on Friday, Davies reversed field yet again. Sort of.

In a decidedly vague update, Davies said that “anything is possible in life,” including that much-anticipated first of six matches scheduled for Toronto and 13 in total in the country.

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The ongoing narrative of Davies’ recovery from a hamstring injury sustained in early May is the flashy talking point of a 30th-ranked Canadian team expected to not only win a World Cup match for the first time in the nation’s history, but advance beyond group play.

What is Alphonso Davies saying now?

On Wednesday, Davies hinted that the Canadian curtain-raiser at Toronto Stadium isn’t out of the question, even if it remains a long shot.

“The first game is coming up pretty quickly,” Davies told reporters in Montreal. “The thing we’ve talked about, me and the coach in that meeting, we understand how important that first game is, but we understand that recovery is always important.

“If I’m recovering as good as possible, let’s see. If not, there’s no need to rush.”

It certainly seems as though Davies has stepped up his on-field work, doing what he described as “light ball work” and “change of direction” drills in Montreal.

He’ll need to push much more than that to be ready for game action, but with eight days to go into the opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina, there’s time for more improvement.

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“Anything is possible in life,” Davies said. “It all depends on how the recovery goes and these next few days and week leading up to the game goes.”

Bayern Munich’s Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies plays the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and Mainz 05 in Munich, southern Germany on December 14, 2025. Photo by KARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND /AFP via Getty Images

What is the likely scenario for Davies?

Allowing for the possibility of gamesmanship and all involved being coy about the Bayern Munich star’s readiness, the most likely scenario is that Davies won’t be in the lineup next Friday.

After that, things will get interesting and could be tied to results. A loss to Bosnia would greatly elevate the stakes of the June 18 meeting vs. Qatar in Vancouver.

It’s certainly possible that whenever he makes his tournament debut, Davies could see limited action in his first game, testing his game readiness to build for the critical games ahead.

“It could depend on how the results go,” former Canadian captain Atiba Hutchinson told the Toronto Sun. “I probably don’t think he’ll be ready for the first game, but it would be great if we could see him in the second.

“If he could start, great. If not, coming off the bench for (limited) minutes and then being fully ready for the third game would be a big (boost).”

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To Hutchinson’s point, there’s certainly recognition within the Canadian camp that a quick start is massively important.

The expectations are sky-high with the expanded format and a favourable Group B that certainly make the 30th-ranked Canadians capable of advancing.

The mental and physical challenges of recovery

When he spoke with reporters in Montreal, Davies revealed that his struggles recovering from the hamstring injury – the latest in a recent rough ride of ailments for the Edmonton-raised superstar – have been mental as well as physical.

“Obviously the last 12 months have been up and down,” Davies said. “I was going into a hole where I was doubting myself. It was devastating when the injuries happen and you start doing the mathematics for how long you are going to be out. Obviously, there was doubt in my head.

“Mentally it was very draining, suffering these injuries. It was nice to step away and reset your mind and think of how far you came.”

As he continued to recuperate, the potential game-changing star said he became more optimistic about having a big impact in a competition he’s been dreaming of for years.

“I know how strong my body is and how strong the individuals around me (are) and they’ll push me to come back as safely as possible.”

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