Top News

Canada head coach Jesse Marsch has revealed that team captain Alphonso Davies was never actually fit to play in their crucial 2-1 World Cup defeat to Switzerland, confessing that he deliberately used the Bayern Munich star as a "decoy" to unsettle the opposition’s tactical planning. Despite pre-match speculation, Davies remained on the bench throughout the encounter as Canada slipped to second place in Group B.

A clever tactical ploy

In the intense setting of the World Cup, every mental edge matters. Following Canada’s 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in Vancouver, Marsch admitted that his public assurance about Davies’ readiness was part of a calculated strategy. The skipper, still recovering from a nagging hamstring injury, did not feature in the match, even though Marsch had hinted he would play.

“Alphonso wasn’t ready yet, so I was using him a little bit as a decoy,” Marsch said. “He will be ready for the next match.” When asked whether the approach worked, the former Leeds United manager added: “I listened to their press conference and they had three questions about Alphonso Davies, so they at least had to plan for that.”

Switzerland’s reaction to the ruse

Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin appeared unconcerned upon learning that his side had prepared for a player who never took the field. Yakin maintained that his team always prioritises collective strength over individual threats, even when facing a player of Davies’ quality. Still, he admitted that a talent like the Bayern Munich wing-back naturally influences tactical considerations.

“You always have to plan with the captain,” Yakin said. “You have to look at different games and different styles. You have a sense of the substitutes too. Of course, we looked at Davies during this tournament but we didn’t only prepare for individual players. Right now, we only react to what’s happening on the pitch.”

Ongoing doubts about Davies’ fitness

Davies’ fitness continues to be a major concern for Canada as they move into the knockout phase. The 25-year-old has not played competitively since early May, when he tore his hamstring while representing Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals. His absence from international duty stretches even further back, to a ligament injury sustained against the United States in March 2025.

Despite his lack of recent action, Marsch had emphasised the morale boost that Davies brings to the squad. Ahead of the Switzerland fixture, the coach said: “We will evaluate what we need of him in the game. I would like to get him into the match, for sure. And I think that he can have a big impact, both on us physically and football wise, but also mentally, psychologically, to have our captain back, our best player back in the team. I think this is a big factor.”

Canada look ahead to the next challenge

Although the defeat to Switzerland was disappointing, Canada’s campaign is still alive as they advanced from Group B in second place. Their next challenge comes this Sunday in Los Angeles, where they will take on South Africa, the runners-up from Group A. All eyes are now on whether Davies will finally be fit to return or if Marsch will once again depend on the likes of Jacob Shaffelburg and goal scorer Promise David. After the match, Davies offered no comment, walking silently through the mixed zone while on his phone, leaving his availability for the next round uncertain.