Coming into this World Cup, Canada’s hopes hinged on the form of their one world-class player, Alphonso Davies. This has been the case for every major competition they have entered since he made his international debut in 2017, and it’s easy to see why: over the last nine years, Davies has transformed Canada’s fortunes.
After being grouped in each of the first three Gold Cups in the 2010s, Canada have reached the quarter-final or further in five consecutive installments. The Bayern Munich star was also at the fore as they qualified for the 2022 World Cup, the first time they reached men’s football’s biggest stage since 1986. And their fourth-place finish at the 2024 Copa América involved a fit and firing Davies.
