Canadian soccer captain Alphonso Davies is healthy and ready to take the field Sunday when Canada faces South Africa in a last-32 knockout match, head coach Jesse Marsch announced.
Davies had been working his way back from a hamstring injury he sustained during Bayern Munich’s Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain. The injury kept the 25-year-old on the sidelines throughout Canada’s group stage competition.
Speaking on Saturday, Marsch expressed enthusiasm about having his captain available. “Now that we have Alphonso back and healthy and ready to perform, I think it’s a big moment for the team and a big boost for the team,” the coach said.
Davies reportedly pushed to get playing time during Canada’s final Group B contest against Switzerland, a match the team dropped 2-1. However, Marsch held him back, determining it was not the right time to risk his star player’s health.
The captain was candid about how difficult it was to watch from the sidelines. “It was hard to watch those three games,” Davies said. “It was painful. The only thing you want to do is play.”
Marsch defended his cautious approach to managing injured players, comparing top athletes to high-performance vehicles. “You have to treat them like they’re Ferraris,” the coach explained.
