Alphonso Davies' Canada are out to claim their third CONCACAF title at the 2021 Gold Cup, which begins on 10 July and is being held in the US.
Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies headlined Canada’s preliminary roster for the 2021 Gold Cup when it was announced on 18 June, and is set to lead the Canucks’ bid to be crowned CONCACAF champions for the third time in their history.
Canada Gold Cup squad must be cut to 23 by start of July
Unlike United States coach Gregg Berhalter, who has opted to rest Europe-based stars such as Christian Pulisic and Sergiño Dest during the tournament, Canada boss John Herdman included the likes of Davies and Lille’s Jonathan David in his initial 60-man group, which must be trimmed to 23 before 2 July.
Earlier in June, Davies was on target for Canada in World Cup qualifying wins over Aruba and Suriname, before helping Herdman’s men to a 4-0 aggregate victory over Haiti that booked the Canadians’ spot in the third and final round of CONCACAF’s Qatar 2022 qualification competition. The comprehensive win offered Canada some measure of revenge for their surprise 3-2 defeat to the Haitians in the quarter-finals of the last Gold Cup, in 2019.
Davies "creates dread" in opposition wherever he plays - Canada boss
Speaking before the Aruba game - a 7-0 thumping in Bradenton, Florida - Herdman lauded the variety Davies brings to Canada’s attack, given his ability to play either at full-back or as a winger. “What’s great about Alphonso is that he creates the dread in an opponent, whether you play him higher or lower,” he said. “When he’s playing lower, he comes from those deep positions with space to run into. And when he plays higher, he’s a threat in the transition when teams open up.”
Davies, who won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal with Bayern in the 2020/21 season, has earned 23 caps and scored nine goals since making his Canada debut four years ago. The 20-year-old has appeared at two previous Gold Cups, finishing as joint-top scorer in 2017, with three goals.
Canada kick off Gold Cup campaign on 11 July
Canada have been drawn in Group B at the 2021 Gold Cup, alongside the US, Martinique and a qualifier from the preliminary round (one of Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Bermuda or Barbados). They begin their campaign against Martinique on 11 July, before facing the qualifying-stage winner on 15 July and tournament hosts the US on 18 July.
You can check out Canada’s 60-man preliminary Gold Cup roster here.