Canada captain Alphonso Davies appears unlikely to play against Qatar on Thursday

The status of Alphonso Davies, who is attempting to return from a succession of hamstring and muscle strains in time to see at least some World Cup minutes, has become clearer: Despite head coach Jesse Marsch’s earlier assertions that Davies was close to fitness, he almost certainly won’t play Thursday against Qatar.

Davies was ruled out of last Friday’s opening 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto in advance, but according to Marsch at the time, an MRI showed Davies was “healing incredibly well, almost completely.”

But after a weekend of travel to Vancouver and rest, Davies trained Monday still under “return to play” protocols, the least intensive of the modified programs for injured players.

He jogged with the team but otherwise worked out mostly by himself. He did have a ball at his feet by the end of training, and he leathered some shots at an open goal. But it’s almost impossible to think that he’ll move up the training ladder in time to reach match fitness later this week.

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It’s a curious turn for Davies. He tore his ACL in national team play in March 2025, weeks after Bayern Munich, his enormously powerful club side, signed him to a long-term deal worth about $190 million US.

Club executives threatened to sue Canada Soccer before taking a more conciliatory tone, at least in public.

Davies, Canada’s captain, hasn’t played for his country since. He returned to club play in December but has since endured three separate hamstring and muscle