Despite recovering from his injury, Alphonso Davies has been left out of Canada’s starting lineup for the Round of 16 clash against South Africa in the 2026 World Cup. Alphonso Davies was widely expected to make his highly anticipated return to Canada’s starting lineup for their crucial Round of 16 clash against South Africa at the 2026 World Cup. However, when the official team sheets were released, Davies’ inclusion on the substitutes’ bench raised immediate questions among fans regarding his match fitness.
Davies will begin the match on the bench due to a tactical decision by head coach Jesse Marsch. While the fullback has regained full fitness and participated in recent training sessions alongside his teammates, the American manager has opted for a cautious approach to avoid any risk of a setback. Rather than throwing him straight into the starting XI, Marsch intends to ease him back into action with minutes off the bench.
During Saturday’s press conference, Davies joined Marsch to address the media. Canada’s head coach opened up about the situation, explaining that rushing the Bayern Munich star back during the group stage would have been too risky, and that sitting him out during that stretch was done “in the best interests of Alphonso and his career and his health.“
Following the medical staff’s carefully managed recovery plan, Marsch confidently updated the media on Davies’ current status: “Now he’s truly available. 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. He’s a big X factor for us. Being on the pitch, the belief they have in him, the belief he has in himself, I think changes the possibility of what the potential of our team is, and what we can do in this tournament.”
Alphonso Davies discusses the ‘difficulties’ of sitting through the Group Stage as a spectator for Canada ahead of their historic Round of 32 match vs South Africa 🇨🇦🆚🇿🇦Will the Canadian left wing-back touch the pitch today? 👀#FIFAWorldCup | #WorldCup | #Canada | #CANMNT |… pic.twitter.com/cbAT3ItKC3— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 28, 2026
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