“Yeah, Phonzy’s obviously the captain of our team. He’s an integral part of what we’re trying to do, and it’s so unfortunate with all of his injury history and what he’s gone through in the past couple weeks, and especially with his knee,” Waterman lamented when asked by Bolavip about Davies’ absence.

“We just want him fully back and fully healthy and fully prepared for the summer. So we just hope he’s getting the best care he can, obviously, in Germany, and making sure he comes back healthy, and that’s the number one thing,” Waterman added during the pre-match press conference ahead of the Chicago Fire‘s MLS fixture against the Philadelphia Union, which will be his last club game prior to the international break.

“And then, you know, obviously what he can provide is massive for our team and the success we’re gonna have during the World Cup, so we’re wishing him all the best, and we’re excited to have him back soon.“

Why is Alphonso Davies not playing for Canada in March?

Davies, 25, is out with a hamstring injury sustained during Bayern Munich’s first leg win over Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The star left back had to be subbed off after an apparent non-contact injury 70 minutes into the clash, leaving the field in tears as his teammates consoled him.

Davies had returned to action for Bayern in December following an ACL tear suffered in March 2025 during his last appearance for Canada. Les Rouges were expecting a long-awaited return in the upcoming window, which is why his recent setback was a huge blow.

Canada’s support for Davies

However, Waterman and his teammates will be waiting for Davies to recover in time for the 2026 World Cup. Before Waterman addressed the media on Thursday, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch shared a similar sentiment.

“He’s obviously down and frustrated a little bit, but he said this little injury, compared to even the one he experienced a month ago is much less severity”, Marsch said , via TSN Sports. “He’ll probably be 2, 3 weeks before he’s back again. He’s not going to be with us for March, which is okay. We’ll leave him there in Munich and make sure he gets himself fully fit and fully back to 100%, but I’m confident he will do that.”

Canada’s March schedule

Without Davies, Canada will play two international friendlies in Toronto, first hosting Iceland on Saturday, March 28, before they welcome Tunisia to BMO Field on Tuesday, March 31.

Waterman, meanwhile, will be chasing his 16th and 17th caps for Canada, having already represented the country in multiple friendlies and Concacaf Nations League fixtures. He was also a member of the 2022 World Cup, 2024 Copa America, and 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup rosters.

The Canadian, who is not taking part in the tournament due to injury, was live streaming during the match when his immediate reaction of shock and sadness to Musiala’s injury was clearly visible.

While the results of the medical tests are still pending—leaving uncertainty around Musiala’s final diagnosis—it’s clear that he is likely facing a lengthy recovery period.

Club World Cup run comes to an end

It was a tough night for Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, with several major setbacks. Not only did they lose one of their key players to a serious injury, but they were also eliminated by PSG—bringing the German side’s tournament run to an end.

Late goals by Doue and Dembele—in the 78th and 96th minutes, respectively—sealed the elimination of Vincent Kompany’s side. Despite a solid showing throughout the tournament, Bayern Munich could do little against the power and quality of the Parisian squad.

What’s next for the Bayern Munich?

With their participation in the tournament now complete—and having recently been crowned champions of the Bundesliga—Bayern Munich will now enjoy a well-deserved break. Once training resumes, the focus will shift toward planning for the upcoming season, both domestically and on the international stage.

Even though Marsch’s team has consolidated well, its lack of competitive rhythm raises concerns. Canada do not compete in the World Cup Qualifiers, as they have already clinched a spot for being hosts in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their last two games—a win and a draw—have been unconvincing. Nevertheless, the sporting project remains promising with players like Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan making waves in European soccer.

Considering their progress, head coach Jesse Marsch spoke clearly about the national team’s objectives. He emphasized the goals for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. “I’ve explained my feelings about this tournament to the team over the last months, but I didn’t really have to. They all said, ‘We’re coming, we want to win it.’ That’s a big statement, but that’s how they feel. I’m glad I coach a team that feels that way,” he said, as reported by MLS.

Why will Alphonso Davies not play in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup?

Bayern Munich fullback Alphonso Davies will miss the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup as he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. This setback occurred during Canada’s Nations League match against the United States in March, 2025. Consequently, Davies shared with BILD that this injury will sideline him for the majority of the 2025-26 season, with an anticipated return pegged for late November.

Discussion about his possible return date is ongoing as knee injuries require careful management, especially in dynamic players like Davies. A meticulous recovery process is essential to preserve his speed and agility when he returns to action.

Alphonso also opened up about his mental struggles following the injury. On his YouTube channel, he admitted, “I’m not going to lie, that was hard. I had a mental breakdown. I don’t know what came over me. I went to take a shower, and I just broke down in tears and panic.”

The team led by Vincent Kompany kicks off one of the most anticipated club tournaments with a match where they’ll need to assert their dominance from the very first minute. Unfortunately for them, the absence of their starting left-back will be a significant loss.

What was the reason Davies won’t be joining his teammates in this tournament? At the end of March, during the CONCACAF Nations League third-place match between Canada and the United States, Davies suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.

When will Davies return to the field?

Undoubtedly, one of the most feared injuries among soccer players are those related to the knees — especially those involving the ligaments, which are even more delicate.

According to the medical report provided by the staff attending to the Canadian player, his return to the field is expected by the end of September, provided there are no setbacks during the recovery process.

Bayern Munich’s first match

One of the giants of world soccer is set to make their debut in the highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup, in what is considered their most favorable matchup in Group C.

The match will be against the Oceanic side Auckland City, marking the start of the tournament for both clubs. The game will take place at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

It’s worth noting that Portugal’s Benfica and Argentina’s Boca Juniors are the other two teams in this group, making goal difference a crucial factor. In such a competitive group, the final standings will likely come down to the smallest of details.

Speaking to the media before this huge game, both Canada head coach Jesse Marsch and captain Alphonso Davies made it clear they will put up a fight in New Jersey as they want to continue writing history at the Copa America.

“It’s going to take everything,” Davies said, via NDTV. “Going into this game, we know what’s on the line. We win and go forward, we lose and go home. They’re going to come out with everything. We’re hungrier than ever, we expect a battle — as they should.”

Marsch, who has already done a great job by leading Canada out of a tough group, has also warned the soccer community that his team will not drop back and let Argentina take control of the game.

“The game against Argentina will have to be the best we’ve ever played… We’re not going to sit back and just try to defend. We will be aggressive,” Marsch said. “We’re going to try to play the way we want to play and see if we can keep it up.”

Argentina and Canada meet again at the 2024 Copa America

Argentina and Canada had met only once before this tournament in a commanding friendly win from La Albiceleste ahead of the 2010 World Cup. But in this Copa America alone, these sides will face each other more times than ever before.

With goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the 2024 Copa America inaugural match in Atlanta. Now, Messi and company will once again have to beat the last Concacaf team standing to keep their title defense alive.

Messi expected to start for Argentina vs Canada

Even though he’s been troubled by a muscle injury, Messi is expected to captain Argentina in the 2024 Copa America semifinal against Canada. After leaving Angel Di Maria on the bench in the quarterfinal vs Ecuador, coach Lionel Scaloni will reportedly start the veteran winger as well.

Argentina and Canada will lock horns on Tuesday, July 9, at 8:00 PM (ET) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with a ticket to the 2024 Copa America final on the line. The winner will play Colombia or Uruguay on Sunday, July 14, at 8:00 PM (ET) Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The loser, on the other hand, will have to settle with the third-place game in Charlotte on Saturday.

Players usually choose to play for Real Madrid over most other teams if they get an offer. That’s what happened with Jude Bellingham, who signed with Los Blancos coming from Borussia Dortmund despite having multiple suitors vying for him.

Alphonso Davies could be another example of that. The Canadian left back has been impressive while playing for Bayern for several years now, but he might be looking for a new opportunity in a different club.

There are other priorities for Real Madrid right now, such as replacing Karim Benzema with a reliable striker. The drama surrounding Kylian Mbappe doesn’t seem like something that is going to be easily resolved. However, they have another star ready to play for them.

Alphonso Davies stalls contract talks with Bayern waiting for Real Madrid

The 22-year-old player has postponed contract talks with Bayern as he waits for a move by Real Madrid, according to a report from Bild. Davies is under contract until 2025, so the Bavarians want to make sure they have the talented youngster for the future.

Real Madrid are interested in signing him to replace Ferland Mendy. However, their main plan is to do it in 2024 so the transfer isn’t too expensive. Both sides are interested in joining forces, but negotiations with Bayern should come first.

Soccer in Canada has grown a lot in recent years. They have ceased to be the team that many easily surpassed, against which they had “3 points guaranteed”, to become a competitive country and be among the best in their conferation, Concacaf.

Thanks to a squad with many players that participate in European leagues, the Canadians are expected to be candidates to reach the final. However, the absence of some important players could call into question that certainty. And among those absences, that of Alphonso Davies is the most notorious.

Alphonso Davies out of the Gold Cup

The main reason for Davies‘ unavailability is his injury. He sustained a leg injury while playing for his club team, Bayern Munich, which has ruled him out of participation in the Gold Cup. The Canadian star had been sidelined for nearly two months for this trouble in his leg before the Concacaf Nations League.

Davies‘ absence is a significant blow to the Canadian team, as he is widely recognized as one of their most talented and influential players. However, despite his absence, Canada will undoubtedly strive to perform well in the tournament, relying on the collective strength and skill of the remaining squad members.

Over the course of his career with the Bavarian club, he won five Bundesliga championships, two DFB-Pokals, and one UEFA Champions League. The latest estimate puts his worth at above €70 million as of this summer.

His new deal at the Allianz Arena was scheduled to be signed before the season’s conclusion, but negotiations have stalled since the exits of directors Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic. There are rumors that Real Madrid are interested in signing the 22-year-old defender, despite the fact that he still has two years left on his contract in Germany.

What did Alphonso Davies say regarding Barcelona?

Now he is being linked with a transfer to La Liga, although he might have gone there before. Davies has claimed that Los Blancos’ bitter rivals Barcelona passed on signing him before he was transferred to the Bundesliga.

On the ‘Say Less’ podcast, the young ace said that the Catalans had made an offer before, but the deal shockingly fell through due to his nationality.

“Barcelona approached me but the President (Josep Maria Bartomeu) didn’t want me because I’m from Canada. This was what the press said, I don’t know if the President really said that, but I’m not going to lie, it kind of crushed my feelings What is clear is that I didn’t sign for Barca”, he said.

After fleeing the civil war in Liberia, Davies’ parents brought him into the world at the refugee camp of Buduburam in Ghana. Alphonso was only five years old when his family made the long journey over the Atlantic to settle in Edmonton, Alberta.

So much has happened since then, as he has become one of Bayern’s most valuable players and has been instrumental in Canada’s qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.After not participating in the tournament since 1986, the Reds finally qualified for the 2022 edition, and it was only appropriate that the left-back scores the first goal for his nation.

What didAlphonso Davies say on his Twitch channel?

Players have a reputation for spreading joy everywhere they go, and the public often believes this to be true.The reality is different, and Alphonso Davies has been quite transparent about this on his Twitch account.

The Canadian international player has said on the stream that his life consists mostly of training and playing games. Davis spoke out to the viewers of his ‘thatboydavies19’ channelabout the state of his relationships with his loved ones.

“Life as a professional footballer is very cool, no doubt. You can chill and enjoy life, but, after training, there’s nothing to do. For me, because I don’t have a family and my girlfriend is not living with me, I’m by myself. It’s a little bit worrying not having something to do and especially when all your friends have work. I probably have like five friends. I’m a popular loser”, he said.

Now with his contract ending in June of 2025, the German giants are working hard to resign their prize asset, but Real Madrid has begun to show interest and are very serious about acquiring Alphonso Davies by 2024.

According to El Español, Real Madrid has a plan in place to secure the signing of Alphonso Davies and it would entitle the signing and exiting of other players. Davies is seen as a player that could play for the Spanish giants for at least 10 years.

Alphonso Davies to Real Madrid?

According to Bild the idea is for Bayern Munich to resign Alphonso Davies as soon as possible but Real Madrid’s plan is to wait until 2024 and make a formidable offer that would send the Canadian to Madrid, leaving Bayern little choice but to sell or risk losing Davies on a free.

Real Madrid is hoping to give Alphonso Davies a huge pay hike considered he earns a reported 9 million euros a year, making him one of the least paid players at Bayern Munich. For Real Madrid it is more about a waiting game since they know Bayern Munich have no intentions to sell Davies now.

For Bayern Munich if Alphonso Davies were to resign it would be for a huge pay raise and a huge transfer clause. Alphonso Davies has very little left to prove at Bayern Munich who continue to dominate the Bundesliga, Real Madrid would be the holy grail especially considering the Spanish giants have Jude Bellingham in their sights as well as the arrival of Brazilian wonderkid Endrick.

Matchday 1 was full of unexpected results, with Saudi Arabia and Japan producing upsets against Argentina and Germany, respectively. But Matchday 2 has already seen the two teams being eliminated from Round of 16 contention.

As the knockout phase approaches, all eight groups are reaching crucial stages before the bracket is finally set. Let’s take a look at how many teams have so far been eliminated in the second round of the group stage.

How many teams were eliminated from the 2022 World Cup in the 2nd round of the group stage?

Qatar and Canada are so far the only national teams to be eliminated from the 2022 World Cup in the second round of the group stage. In the case of the hosts, after losing in their first two games, the Netherlands’ draw withEcuador sealed their fate. The host nation still has to play its remaining fixture against the Netherlands, but theirchances of making it to the next round are over.Using this World Cup Predictor, you can see every potential outcome of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Canadathrilled millions of fans with their style of play, but now they are officially eliminated from theQatar 2022World Cupafter losing 4-1 withCroatia. Though Alphonso Davies scored the first goal for Canada in a World Cup, it wasn’t enough. The Canadian squad have never won a match in tournament’s history and will finish their participation facing Morocco.

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