Every minute together is crucial as we prepare for Qatar
After seven months away from the game following a heart condition linked to COVID-19, Alphonso Davies returns to Canada's national team at a moment that is as much about national identity as it is about football. Coach John Herdman has assembled a 25-man squad for June matches that will serve as the final rehearsal before Canada's first World Cup appearance in 36 years — a milestone that carries the weight of a generation's longing. Yet the opening friendly against Iran casts a long shadow, invoking the memory of 85 Canadians lost when Flight PS752 was shot down over Tehran in January 2020, reminding the country that sport and history are rarely kept apart.
- Davies's return from myocarditis — a heart inflammation triggered by COVID-19 — transforms a routine squad announcement into a story of resilience and relief for a nation that has come to see him as its brightest footballing symbol.
- The inclusion of 17-year-old Luca Koleosho alongside seasoned veterans signals that Herdman is simultaneously protecting what was built during qualifying and reaching toward what Canada might yet become.
- The Iran friendly has ignited a political firestorm, with families of the 85 Canadians killed on Flight PS752 demanding the match be cancelled and Prime Minister Trudeau publicly questioning whether the Iranian team should even be allowed into the country.
- Canada Soccer has stayed largely silent on the controversy, caught between the tactical value of a non-CONCACAF test before Qatar and the moral weight of hosting a nation held responsible for one of the worst tragedies in recent Canadian memory.
- With World Cup qualifying already secured in historic fashion — a 14-2-4 record, 54 goals scored — these June matches are less about proving Canada belongs and more about discovering exactly how far this team can go.
Alphonso Davies is coming home. The Bayern Munich winger, sidelined since November with myocarditis — a mild heart inflammation that developed after he contracted COVID-19 — will return to Canada's national team this June for three matches that carry weight far beyond the pitch. His club comeback came in April during Bayern's Champions League quarterfinal, and now coach John Herdman has named him to a 25-man squad for friendlies and CONCACAF Nations League games ahead of Canada's first World Cup since 1986.
The roster Herdman assembled blends experience and momentum. Davies, named CONCACAF men's player of the year in April, is joined by veterans with 50 or more international caps and several players who recently won domestic titles across Europe. The squad also features a first senior call-up for 17-year-old forward Luca Koleosho, who made his La Liga debut for RCD Espanyol just days before the announcement, and the return of Raheem Edwards, a fullback who last wore the red and white in 2018 and has been among MLS's most effective players this season.
Canada's June window opens June 5 with a friendly against Iran at B.C. Place in Vancouver, followed by a Nations League match against Curaçao and a trip to Honduras. These are the first matches since Canada clinched World Cup qualification on March 30 — a campaign completed without Davies, in which the team went 4-2-0 to finish atop the final round. Herdman has described every minute of preparation as crucial before Canada faces the world's best in Qatar.
But the Iran match has become a flashpoint. On January 8, 2020, an Iranian surface-to-air missile brought down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 aboard — including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents. Families of the victims have opposed the match, and Prime Minister Trudeau has said publicly that the Canada Border Services Agency will decide whether the Iranian team is permitted entry. Canada Soccer has remained largely silent, apparently hoping the controversy fades before a home fixture that offers both commercial appeal and a rare tactical test against a non-CONCACAF side.
Herdman has framed the Iran game as an opportunity to assess players against a different style of opponent before Qatar. The attacking depth he has assembled — Davies, Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan, and others — suggests he believes these three matches are the last real chance to sharpen the team's identity. What happens in June, on the field and in the political space surrounding it, will define the tone of Canada's return to the world stage.
Alphonso Davies is coming home. The Bayern Munich winger, absent from Canada's national team since November, will return to action this June for three matches that carry weight far beyond the pitch. At 21, Davies has spent the last seven months sidelined by myocarditis, a mild inflammation of the heart muscle that developed after he contracted COVID-19. His comeback to club football came in April when he stepped onto the field for Bayern's Champions League quarterfinal against Villarreal—his first appearance since mid-December. Now, coach John Herdman has named him to a 25-man squad for friendlies and CONCACAF Nations League games that will serve as final preparation before Canada heads to Qatar for the World Cup later this year.
The squad Herdman assembled is built around experience and recent success. Alongside Davies, who was named CONCACAF men's player of the year in April, the roster includes four players with 50 or more international caps: goalkeeper Milan Borjan, midfielders Jonathan Osorio, Samuel Piette, and Atiba Hutchinson, and forward Cyle Larin. Several squad members recently won domestic championships—Davies with Bayern, Borjan with Red Star Belgrade, Tajon Buchanan with Club Brugge, and Stephen Eustaquio with FC Porto. The squad also features 10 players from Major League Soccer, grounding the team in North American talent. One notable addition is Raheem Edwards, a fullback and wingback from the Los Angeles Galaxy who has been in exceptional form this season, tied for the MLS lead with three game-winning assists. Edwards, 26, last played for Canada in March 2018. The squad also includes a first senior call-up: 17-year-old forward Luca Koleosho, who made his La Liga debut for RCD Espanyol just days before the roster announcement.
Canada's June window opens with a friendly against Iran on June 5 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, followed four days later by a CONCACAF Nations League match against Curaçao at the same venue. The team then travels to San Pedro Sula to face Honduras on June 13. These are the first matches since Canada wrapped up World Cup qualifying on March 30 in Panama—a campaign in which the team went 4-2-0 without Davies, securing their first World Cup berth since 1986. Across all three rounds of qualifying, Canada compiled a 14-2-4 record, outscoring opponents 54-8 and finishing atop the final round with an 8-2-4 mark. Herdman framed the June matches as essential preparation. "Every minute together is crucial," he said in a statement, emphasizing that the group that built trust and confidence through 20 qualifying matches must now find the next level before facing some of the world's best teams on soccer's biggest stage.
Yet the Iran friendly has become a flashpoint. The controversy centers on the 176 people killed when Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down minutes after takeoff from Tehran on January 8, 2020. An Iranian surface-to-air missile brought down the aircraft. Among those killed were 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents. Hamed Esmaeilion, spokesperson for the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims, has opposed the match since it was first rumored. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has spoken publicly against hosting Iran and said this week that the Canada Border Services Agency will make the final decision on whether the Iranian team is permitted entry to the country. Canada Soccer has remained largely silent on the controversy, presumably hoping it dissipates so the federation can benefit from the box office appeal of a home match while giving Herdman's team a rare test against a non-CONCACAF opponent.
Herdman has indicated that facing Iran serves a tactical purpose. "There are some areas in the team that we would like to strengthen prior to Qatar," he said, noting that he wants to assess specific player profiles who can contribute against top-tier opponents. The squad he selected reflects this ambition. Beyond the veterans and recent champions, Herdman has assembled a potent attacking force: Davies, Lucas Cavallini, Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David, Junior Hoilett, Charles-Andreas Brym, Ike Ugbo, and Koleosho. The depth suggests Herdman believes these three matches offer a final opportunity to refine the team's approach before Qatar. What unfolds in June—both on the field and in the political space surrounding the Iran match—will shape how Canada enters its first World Cup in 36 years.
Citas Notables
There are some areas in the team that we would like to strengthen prior to Qatar. We are looking to assess specific profiles of players that can contribute to our tactical approach against Tier 1 opponents.— Coach John Herdman
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does Davies' return matter so much? He missed qualifying and Canada still made the World Cup.
True, but qualifying and performing at the World Cup are different tests. Davies is one of Canada's best players—a winger who plays for Bayern Munich. The team needs to know how he fits back into their system, how his fitness is, whether he's truly recovered. You don't get that knowledge from watching him play for his club.
And the Iran match—is that really about football?
On the surface, yes. Herdman wants to test his team against a higher-ranked opponent before Qatar. But the Flight 752 tragedy makes it impossible to separate the sport from the politics. Fifty-five Canadian citizens died when Iran shot down that plane. For families of the victims, hosting Iran feels like a betrayal.
So why not just cancel it?
Because Canada Soccer sees value in it—the gate revenue, the competitive test. And because international relations are complicated. But Trudeau's hesitation suggests the political cost might outweigh the football benefit.
What does Herdman actually need from these three matches?
Answers. He needs to see if his attacking players can execute against better defenses. He needs to know if the chemistry that got them through qualifying still holds. And he needs to see Koleosho, a 17-year-old kid who just made his La Liga debut, in a senior environment. These are his final auditions before the biggest stage.
Is Canada actually competitive at the World Cup?
They're ranked 38th globally. They'll face elite teams in Qatar. But they qualified for the first time in 36 years by winning their region decisively. They have talent—Davies, David, Buchanan. Whether that's enough? That's what June will help answer.