Canada World Cup Journal: Eustáquio set to captain opener as Canada’s squad picture sharpens

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It is hot and it is humid here in Charlotte, just the way head coach Jesse Marsch wants it for Team Canada as he prepares them for what he hopes will be a long World Cup campaign.

Marsch will be announcing the official 26-man squad on Friday night, which fans can watch on TSN at 7 p.m. EDT.

After heavy rains, thunder, and lightning disrupted practice plans on Tuesday, Marsch put the squad through an extremely intense training session on Wednesday. It was capped off with laps around the field — with not every player making it to the very end.

Thursday began with a half-hour team meeting indoors before they went through a one-and-a-half hour training session. It wasn’t as intense as Wednesday’s session, though temperatures did cross 30 degrees Celsius with heavy humidity.

One could say Marsch channeled his inner Goldilocks with one session that was probably too limited owing to the lightning, one that was on the extreme end, and Thursday’s that seemed to hit the sweet spot.

Eustáquio expected to captain in Davies’ absence

With the news that Davies is unlikely to play Canada’s first match of the World Cup, expect Stephen Eustáquio to be the one leading the team out at Toronto Stadium on June 12 before kick-off.

Whenever Davies is fit and ready to play, he is fully expected to resume his duties as the full-time captain.

Eustáquio has captained Canada for most of the matches Davies has missed over the past couple of years, though Jonathan David has also worn the armband during that stretch.

While David is considered Canada’s best player in the absence of Davies, it is not expected that he will overtake current vice-captain Eustáquio in the leadership pecking order ahead of the World Cup.

Bombito, Cornelius injury updates bring Canada greater clarity

Watch soccer long enough and you’ll know that quality teams are usually defined by their spine through the middle. That straight line from goalkeeper to the central defenders, midfielders, and striker(s) can often be pivotal in determining a team’s floor.

With both Moïse Bombito and Derek Cornelius looking and sounding as though they expect to be ready to go full throttle on June 12, the team has more clarity on how things could shape up for not only Canada’s squad announcement on Friday night but for the starting 11 as well.

At full strength, they are Canada’s best centre-back pairing, and with what’s been witnessed at camp it seems likely that they will start together on June 12. Bombito said that he feels confident about being ready for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and that his main focus right now is conditioning. He rated it a 7.5 to 8 but said he wants to get to a “12.”

Bombito hasn’t played since Oct. 2025 due to a fractured tibia.

“It’s exciting, we know how important he is to us,” Cornelius said when asked about the optimism Bombito expressed. “Since he’s gone down, everyone’s been waiting to get him back healthy and feeling like himself.”

There is a clear trickle down effect with positive injury news, as it has now become easier to include someone like Alfie Jones — who can bring important quality to the squad — but has been dealing with his own ankle injury since Boxing Day.

If Bombito had still looked unprepared, it would have made more sense to lean on a healthy backup option rather than the potential risk of carrying Jones. Another central defender, Luc de Fougerolles, has also completed his concussion protocol after 10 days of monitoring and recovery.

With Bombito and Cornelius in place, we know that both Stephen Eustáquio and Ismaël Koné will start in front of them in central midfield. Either Cyle Larin or Tani Oluwaseyi will slot alongside Jonathan David while either Maxime Crépeau or Dayne St. Clair will start in goal.

The fitness of striker Promise David should also allow Marsch to address another area of the pitch.

Millar in position to start World Cup opener?

There are still plenty of questions surrounding Canada’s left side. Alphonso Davies is not expected to play against BiH on June 12. Richie Laryea is recovering from a thigh issue and was on a modified training program on Thursday. Ali Ahmed was also on the same program, while Jacob Shaffelburg is still rehabbing from his injury and it remains unclear if he will make the squad.

With all that uncertainty, it is Liam Millar who stands in good position to start on the left wing, with Laryea still expected to be fit to start against Bosnia.

Millar has had a terrific end to the season, helping his club Hull City earn promotion into the English Premier League. While his workload was managed to some extent on Thursday, that appears to have more to do with the minutes he has logged for Hull over the past few weeks.

Vivek’s 26-man World Cup squad prediction:

Goalkeepers (3): Maxime Crépeau, Dayne St. Clair, Owen Goodman

Full-backs (4): Alphonso Davies, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston, Niko Sigur

Central defenders (5): Moïse Bombito, Derek Cornelius, Luc de Fougerolles, Alfie Jones, Joel Waterman

Wingers (5): Tajon Buchanan, Ali Ahmed, Marcelo Flores, Liam Millar, Jacob Shaffelburg

Central midfielders (5): Stephen Eustáquio, Ismaël Koné, Nathan Saliba, Mathieu Choinière, Jonathan Osorio

Forwards (4): Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tani Oluwaseyi, Promise David