Alphonso Davies has declared that he will be "100 percent" fit at the World Cup as he steps up his recovery from the hamstring strain that threatened to derail Canada's plans for the tournament.
Davies, who will resume running on Thursday, limped out of Bayern Munich's 3-2 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday and will play no part in his club's remaining fixtures before the World Cup. Though the Bundesliga champions swiftly announced that the 22 year old would be fit enough to make the trip to Qatar, it will be vital to Canada's hopes of success that their outstanding talent is at the peak of his powers. He believes he will be.
CBS Sports HQ Newsletter
Your Ultimate Guide to Every Day in Sports
We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
"With the injury, it was a scary situation," Davies said. "The doctors told me I'll be fine after two weeks of rehab. I'm happy it wasn't any longer, truly grateful for that.
"I'm ready to get back on the pitch. Tomorrow I start my running and we'll see how it is after that. There's still a little bit of pain but overall I feel good, I feel like I will definitely be at 100 percent during the World Cup and will definitely give my all for the national team."
Considered one of the outstanding full backs in world football, Davies' form and fitness will doubtless be crucial if Canada are to make it out of a challenging group that includes 2018 finalists Croatia, a Belgium side ranked second in the world and Morocco, who are replete with talent playing at the highest level in Europe. However, John Herdman's side have already proven to be one who wear the underdog tag with ease.
Listen below and follow In Soccer We Trust: A CBS Sports Soccer Podcast where your three favorite former USMNT players -- Charlie Davies, Jimmy Conrad and Heath Pearce -- will go live immediately after the World Cup squad announcement to break down the list.
Few expected the Maple Leafs to pick up one of the three automatic qualifying berths from the Octagonal last season, even fewer could have imagined that they would race into top spot and hold it until the end. Mexico, the USA and Costa Rica all fell to defeats on their travels north; Canada would end qualifying with the most goals scored and the fewest conceded.
While there may be no other Canadian internationals playing at quite the pinnacle Davies has reached (free-scoring Jonathan David of Lille is perhaps the nearest), much of their success has come from the spirit and unity fostered by Herdman in a squad that includes plenty of players who have built their bonds at MLS clubs CF Montreal and Toronto FC. That synergy means that their star player does not feel the weight of expectation.
"There's no pressure on me," said Davies. "I know my team has my back and I have theirs going into the World Cup. We know we need to stay connected, come together as one like we did in the qualifying rounds. We know that things are not going to go our way most of the time, that tempers are going to flare because of the heat and the frustration of the game.
"For us it's just the brotherhood we have, being together, staying connected and showing what we have, showing our talent on the pitch.
"We don't want to put a ceiling on top of us, we just want to go to this World Cup and play our best. We don't want to set a goal and disappoint ourselves but definitely we're going to the World Cup with the mindset of being one of the toughest teams to play against in our group. We know that getting out of the group stage is going to be a tough, tough road but definitely we believe we can make it."
Qatar represents a first World Cup for the Canadian national team since 1986, their only previous appearance at football's biggest event. Scoring a goal or getting a point will represent progress after their travails in Mexico but at least these players can be confident they will not have to wait as long to return. As co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup Canada will not need to worry about qualification. In the meantime Davies hopes to inspire that events in the coming weeks will inspire the next generation in his homeland.
"Us making it to the World Cup is going to do a lot for the country in 2026. More and more people are going to dial in on football, people that weren't really football fans are going to start tuning in to watch the men's national team play. Football in Canada is really growing and is going to get bigger and bigger with the women's and youth teams.
"The next generation of footballers are really going to have people to look up to. That's what we're trying to be for the future."
