As Canada embarked on its run to the Round of 16 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it largely did so without its top player.
But, for as difficult as it was for the Canadians to play without Alphonso Davies, it might have been even tougher on the team captain to remain stuck on the sidelines.
One day after Canada was eliminated from the tournament in a 3-0 loss to Morocco, Davis shared a message on social media about the World Cup.
"Not the way we wanted our World Cup journey to end," Davies wrote on Instagram. "Representing Canada on the biggest stage in football is something I’ll never take for granted. I’m proud to wear this badge and to stand alongside a group of players who gave everything for our country."
Davies, who made it onto the pitch for just around 15 minutes across Canada's five contests due to a hamstring injury, said he didn't feel well enough to play Saturday against Morocco.
He missed Canada's training camp in Charlotte, N.C., in late May, but was still named to the nation's 26-man roster and joined the team in Edmonton ahead of a pre-tournament tune-up game.
For weeks, the 25-year-old left back worked mostly apart from his teammates, working with his personal trainer Matthias Blankenburg, whom he brought into Canada’s camp from Germany.
"Personally, this tournament was one of the toughest challenges of my career," his Instagram post continued. "After suffering a hamstring injury, I wasn’t able to perform at the level I know I’m capable of. It hurts knowing I couldn’t give my all when my team and my country needed it most.
"That said, I don’t believe in excuses. Football is full of setbacks, and how you respond is what defines you. This disappointment will only motivate me to recover, work harder, and come back stronger than ever."
Davies did sub in for the Canadians in the 74th minute of their Round of 32 victory over South Africa and made an impact, slicing balls across the pitch and drawing opponents in to create space for his teammates.
But after feeling something during training on Friday, Davies wasn't able to help Canada avoid elimination.
"To everyone who supported us through every moment, thank you. Your belief and support never goes unnoticed," he concluded.
"We’ll learn from this, we’ll grow, and we’ll be back."
— with files from The Canadian Press
