Some FC Bayern players have already been eliminated from the World Cup in North America. Most recently, it was Alphonso Davies’ turn, as Canada lost 0–3 to Morocco and was forced to bow out. This angered some fans.
That’s because the Canadians had to make do without their star player. Davies didn’t play a role in the warm-up matches or the group stage, but made his comeback in the round of 32.
After his brief appearance, Canadian fans hoped their idol could play a bigger role in the round of 16. But the opposite was true.
“Until two days ago, his recovery was going exactly according to plan, but then he felt a slight twinge,” coach Jesse Marsch explained after the game.
After World Cup Exit: Davies Faces Backlash
Davies himself said that he had held out hope until the very end. “I tried to see how it would go—maybe I could have come on, but a thigh injury like that doesn’t just disappear as if by magic in 24 hours. I did my sprints and felt something with every step,“ said the Bayern star.
Some fans accused Davies of prioritizing FC Bayern over the Canadian national team. “Can’t wait to see him take a risk in the first round of the cup,” wrote one fan. Or: “You’re telling me you can’t even try it for 15 minutes in a knockout game?”
It went even further. “I’m not a fan of yours anymore” or “I hope you like Germany, because you won’t be setting foot in Canada again,” wrote the angry fans on social media.
Some fans also called for Davies to be stripped of his captaincy on the national team. Emotional reactions after being eliminated from a major tournament may be understandable, but this, of course, goes too far. After all, Davies did everything he could to get fit in time, working very hard in rehab—all of this after a very difficult year that began with a torn ACL he suffered while playing for the Canadian national team.