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TORONTO — Canada's men's national team World Cup injury crisis has continued to deepen, with key center back Moïse Bombito reportedly set to be cut from the squad.
The 25-year-old suffered a fractured leg last October while featuring for OGC Nice, following a collision with USMNT forward Folarin Balogun. Bombito's rehabilitation had been progressing slowly and, per TSN, it has now been determined that he is not on course to contribute meaningfully to Canada's World Cup campaign.
At the start of World Cup camp last week, he declared he would be "100%" fit for the June 12 opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto. However, he lasted just 30 minutes in the first friendly, a 2–0 victory over Uzbekistan, before being withdrawn at the half-hour mark due to discomfort in his previously injured leg.
He sat out the second friendly, a 1–1 draw with Ireland on Friday, but did feature for 30 minutes in a 3–0 victory over USL League 2 champions Vermont Green FC on Saturday. His discomfort during that appearance prompted Canada Soccer to make the final call to remove him from the roster.
Following the October collision, Bombito underwent major surgery that involved inserting a metal rod into his leg. He joined Canada's March camp as a training player, and manager Jesse Marsch's coaching staff were left unimpressed by his progress at that stage.
Prior to his injury, Bombito was among Canada's most influential players. At the 2024 Copa América, he played a crucial role in the team's run to the semifinals, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Argentina. He subsequently cemented his reputation as one of the most athletic defenders in Ligue 1.
"We're being patient with Moïse, we're kind of going step-by-step," Marsch told reporters in Montréal on Thursday ahead of the Ireland fixture. "He had a bit of a reaction after the game against Uzbekistan. He's a guy that we're giving every opportunity to rebound from this and show that he can be ready to play."
Canada Injury List Grows, Davies Recovery Update
Marsch made little mention of injuries following the draw with Ireland. Now, he faces the prospect of beginning the tournament without Canada's two most important players in Bombito and potentially Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, who has yet to officially rule himself out of the opening match.
The standout Bundesliga left back spent the week in Montréal jogging and performing light change-of-direction drills with a trainer, while also working on some light dribbling and passing, as he continues his recovery from a hamstring strain picked up in the UEFA Champions League semifinal.
Other players managing injuries included wingers Ali Ahmed and Jacob Shaffelburg, who participated in a return-to-play program and modified training throughout the week, as well as center back Alfie Jones, who played 20 minutes against Uzbekistan as he carefully works back from an ankle injury sustained in February.
A glimpse into the moments you don't usually see 👀
We spotted CanMNT 🇨🇦 captain Alphonso Davies training alone on the pitch, putting in the work to get ready for the World Cup 💪 pic.twitter.com/0xDYE3QnFu
These concerns come on top of the absence of Marcelo Flores, who tore his ACL in the Concacaf Champions Cup final the day before he was due to join the squad and has yet to be officially replaced on the roster.
Despite the setbacks, Canada largely impressed against Ireland and Marsch barely touched on injuries in his post-match comments—a subject that is sure to dominate headlines as the World Cup week kicks off in Toronto.
"We have depth all over the pitch," he said, with his primary starting group getting a full half before substitutions were made. "We keep moving things forward from a fitness perspective.
"I think this is a starting group that we can count on, and then we'll just have to think about for each match and each match-up, which players are best to start and which are best to come off the bench."
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Canada Comfortable With Depth Options
Since taking charge of Canada in 2024, Marsch has prioritized building squad depth and will now be forced to rely on it, with final roster changes due by 2:59 p.m. ET on June 11.
As of Saturday, the team had yet to name a replacement for Flores and had continued camp with non-rostered players, including winger Jayden Nelson, versatile center back Ralph Priso, and left back Zorhan Bassong. Their involvement was initially intended to help manage minutes, but Priso and Nelson now appear likely to earn official roster spots.
Nelson made an immediate impact off the bench against Uzbekistan by scoring a goal, while Priso—who only transitioned to center back eight months ago with Vancouver Whitecaps—impressed when deployed in an unfamiliar left back role.
Other potential options for the center back position not currently in camp include Portland Timbers defender Kamal Miller, a key contributor on the 2022 World Cup squad who has since slipped down the depth chart, and 21-year-old Jamie Knight-Lebel of Swindon Town, who featured in the expanded camp at the start of World Cup preparations.
Who Will Replace Bombito as Canada's Starting Center Back?
Canada's starting center back role looks set to go to Luc De Fougerolles, after the 20-year-old turned heads in both friendlies. Having made his Canada debut as a teenager while in Fulham's academy, he enters his first World Cup off the back of his debut professional season on loan at FCV Dender in the Belgian top flight.
While he lacks Bombito's pace, his ability to read the game, combined with his composure on the ball and under pressure, make him a credible starter. He is also now fully fit, having played the full 90 minutes against Ireland in what was his first complete match since March 1, following his recovery from a groin injury.
"Luc with the ball was outstanding and helped set up a lot of our initial movements to get us into the attack," Marsch told reporters. "I thought he was really good on what we call 'rest defense' and defending some difficult moments, standing players up, not giving away fouls."
When asked whether he is prepared for the pressure of starting at a World Cup at just 20 years old, De Fougerolles responded: "I'm definitely ready. The whole team is ready."