Davies Not Expected To Miss World Cup

When Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies had to substituted with an apparent hamstring injury yesterday, there was plenty of cause for concern at the Canada camp: the 22-year-old is a key player for the national team ahead of the country’s first World Cup since 1986, and a hamstring injury could easily see him miss the historic moment.

This morning saw Bayern Munich state that while Davies will miss the two remaining Bundesliga matches ahead of the winter break, his participation in the World Cup in Qatar is not at risk.

While the apparent short-term nature of this particular hamstring strain is a sigh of relief, that still cuts things uncomfortably close to Canada’s World Cup opener against Belgium on November 23, which will come just eleven days after the last Bundesliga match he’s slated to miss.

Related: How Would Canada Adapt Without Alphonso Davies?

Davies was taken off in the 63rd minute in Bayern Munich’s 2-3 away win over Hertha Berlin. He wasn’t the only Canadian international to suffer an injury yesterday, with LAFC’s Maxim Crepeau looking to have suffered a broken leg after a horrifying collision with Philadelphia Union forward Cory Burke.

Before the 2022 World Cup kicks offs two weeks from today, the Canadian national team will undergo two friendly matches against Bahrain and Japan respectively. The squad for the first match is largely drawn from North American sides who are already out of season, allowing John Herdman a fitness assessment on a squad comprised primarily of MLS athletes.

While it’s good news for Canada that Alphonso Davies isn’t expected to miss the country’s first World Cup since 1986, there’ll be many eyes watching his fitness levels as the world-class youngster enters the competition immediately following a hamstring strain.