Unfortunately, one of the world’s biggest stars, Alphonso Davies, had to sit out Canada’s men’s soccer team’s final push for the 2022 World Cup. Following a battle with COVID-19 earlier this year, the 21-year-old suffered lingering heart issues. Heart issues that were so severe, he wasn’t medically cleared for action.
Those heart problems were also enough to keep Davies on the sideline for Canada’s (-316) climactic qualifying match with Jamaica on Sunday. Unless they paid for tickets, the Canadian men, of course, hadn’t been to the great tournament as competitors in 36 years. Davies would have to watch his teammates in tenuous nervousness, in the comfort of his home, hoping they could pull off history without him. It’s a feeling of helplessness you’d rather not be privy to.
Boy, did they reward Davies’s anxiety.
🇨🇦 They've done it!
🤩 Canada reach the men's #WorldCup for the first time since 1986#WCQ | #WorldCup | @CanadaSoccerEN pic.twitter.com/7iiHTZtwxY
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 27, 2022
This fall will now be the Canadian men’s first World Cup since 1986. I’m not particularly great with time but even I know that it’s been a while.
And Davies, again watching at home (while streaming on Twitch), couldn’t help but break down with intense emotions at the news.
#CanMNT icon @AlphonsoDavies REACTS to WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION ✅🍁
Like all of us right now, Alphonso Davies is in tears 😭😭😭
Join our post-game celebrations, LIVE 🔴https://t.co/NHgvgkyhxj pic.twitter.com/1fIikH2Z17
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) March 27, 2022
Incredible. That’s the kind of sports moment that really pulls on the heart strings.
To put a bow on the history, Davies had a (likely prerecorded) message for his Canadian teammates after the game.
A message from @AlphonsoDavies 🍁#CANMNT #ForCanada #WCQ pic.twitter.com/o3rH6LQCGu
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) March 27, 2022
This is admittedly speculation, but Davies saying “we” for games that won’t be played for eight months seems like an amazing sign of how his health is coming along. “We”, meaning us, might soon see this superstar adorned in Canadian red, in the World Cup.
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