World Cup stars of the Bundesliga: Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies
After a difficult season, could Bayern Munich's flying full-back Alphonso Davies end it with a bang for FIFA World Cup 2026 co-hosts Canada?
Name: Alphonso Davies
Club: Bayern Munich
Nation: Canada
International debut: 14 June 2017
Caps: 58
International goals: 15
Stats correct as of 7 May 2026
How was his 2025/26 season?
‘Mixed’ would be an understated way to describe Davies’ 2025/26. In fact, there hasn't been much of either year as he only returned in mid-December last year from the ACL injury he sustained while playing for Canada in March 2025.
Unsurprisingly after such a long injury lay-off, his return has been peppered with a series of setbacks. He played 90 minutes just once – the Matchday 20 draw in Hamburg – from late December until 4 April. But Davies’ three-minute cameo against Freiburg on Matchday 28, which included the assist for Lennart Karl’s winning goal, hinted at Canada’s superstar winning the race to recapture form and fitness in time for the summer, while he scored in the Bundesliga title-sealing win over VfB Stuttgart in April.
What he brings to the national team
What Davies brings to the national team is exactly what he has shown in Bayern colours when he has been on the pitch for the record German champions since his arrival in Munich in 2019: jet-heeled pace allied with an ability to make the difference at both ends of the pitch, while his versatility has seen him employed in a variety of positions.
Just 16 when he made his Canada debut – and only a week after obtaining Canadian citizenship – Davies has been the go-to man for Canada coaches since. Though he missed a penalty at the 2022 World Cup, he did score his country’s first-ever goal in the tournament, and has been installed as team captain by head coach and former RB Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch.
What his coaches say
“Alphonso is simply an incredible athlete. That means that even when he comes back, and he’s still not at 100%, he’s probably still the fastest in the squad and it looks like he never gets tired. And that’s not normal when you’re coming back from such a long injury.” – Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany
“'Phonzie’s' not going to be with us for March, which is okay. We’ll leave him there in Munich and make sure he gets himself fully fit and fully back to 100 per cent, but I’m confident that he will do that.” – Marsch
