Why Alphonso Davies didn't play Canada’s final FIFA World Cup match
Questions are still swirling around Canada’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday.
The Canadians failed to pull off the upset, losing 3-0 to Morocco in the Round of 16 and failing to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. Canada looked great in the first half, holding the score at 0-0, but couldn’t fend off the Moroccans in the second half.
They lost, however, without superstar Alphonso Davies playing a single minute, as the Edmonton native was stuck on Canada’s bench for the entire match.
FULL-TIME… Canada is eliminated from the #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/wtUxFgnYa8
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 4, 2026
It seems odd that Davies didn’t play in this all-important Round of 16 contest. He had appeared during Canada’s Round of 32 match against South Africa, and all indications going into the game were that Davies would draw back in against Morocco.
It turns out that was initially the plan heading into the match, but some last-second health updates wound up derailing things a bit. Head coach Jesse Marsch revealed what exactly happened after the loss.
“He had a hamstring injury that he was recovering from. He was on a very linear path up until two days ago,” Marsch told reporters. “He felt a little something, turned out it wasn’t anything significant, but he didn’t feel right, and we didn’t want to stress it.
“Other than that, the progression and the routine that we put him through in his return to play was really good and really disciplined.”
Jesse Marsch says that Alphonso Davies was on a "linear path" upwards in his injury rehabilitation before the left-back said he "didn't feel right" ahead of Canada-Morocco. #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/2ZQbStXWFW
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 4, 2026
It’s a heartbreaker for Davies not to play in the biggest soccer match in Canadian men’s history. The 25-year-old is a big reason why the Canadian program has taken such big leaps over the past several years.
You could tell after the match that not being able to help out his teammates on the pitch was devastating for the Canadian captain, but he ultimately stood by not playing.
“In training, I felt a little bit of something, but at the end of the day, me and Jesse had a conversation,” Davies said. “He [asked] if I feel 100 per cent, I told him no, to be honest. We want players on the pitch that are 100 per cent to play the game and 100 per cent to give everything, and I felt like I wasn’t there yet.
“I don’t want to be a burden on the team or on the pitch, not giving my all. Every time I play the game, I want to give my all… It’s tough sitting there watching the game knowing I’m not 100 per cent.”
Alphonso Davies speaks with OneSoccer's Kristian Jack about why he missed CanMNT 🇨🇦 vs. Morocco 🇲🇦
🎙️ "Jesse asked if I feel 100%… and I told him no, to be honest.
"I don't want to be a burden on the team or on the pitch not giving my all… but it's an injury where you can't… pic.twitter.com/2pbW9rFIRz
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 4, 2026
This is not the first time that Davies has suffered from a hamstring injury, and he told reporters that he did not want to risk worsening his condition.
It’s a shame that this Canadian squad was not able to realize its potential because of injuries to key players. Alongside Davies, the national team was also without Marcelo Flores for the entire tournament and lost Ismaël Koné early on. Star defender Moïse Bombito was also returning from a significant leg injury.
Even with all those setbacks, Canada managed to still make history with the nation’s best-ever showing at the World Cup.
You can bet that when the 2030 tournament rolls around, Canadian soccer will be in an even better place than it is right now.