More injury concerns for Canada as key defender Bombito's status 'day-to-day'

On a gorgeous Monday morning in Toronto, Canada’s men’s soccer team began its World Cup preparations in earnest, training in front of stands filled with cheering children in red jerseys. Only days away from Friday’s home opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina, blue skies fought to contain the soaring mood.

That was before Moise Bombito eased onto the field with a deflating hitch, his leg wrapped in black tape, his normally quick smile nowhere to be seen.

The status of Canada’s best central defender, the heart of the team’s grandest aspirations at its first home World Cup, remains a strange kind of uncertain.

“Moise, we’re just going to go day-by-day,” head coach Jesse Marsch said after Monday’s session. “I thought he looked really good today, so that was a positive development for him” — a surprising assessment given Bombito’s obvious hobble.

Last October, Bombito broke his leg in club play with Nice. His recovery — with more than seven months to get back in time for the tournament of his life — was originally a low-level concern. Tajon Buchanan, his teammate with Canada, suffered a horrific break in July 2024 and resumed play that November.

Bombito’s return took longer, and anxiety about his progress grew. He trained with Nice but didn’t see action before the end of the Ligue 1 season.

Only after his arrival at last month’s Canada camp in Charlotte did he seem, almost miraculously, ready to play.

“It’s good to be back,” he said then in an exclusive interview with CBC. “To be fair with you, at some point, yes, I felt like I wasn’t going to be back in time. But by the grace of God, I was able to make it in time. As of right now, I’m really good. There’s no stress to have about that, really.”

His optimism feels distant