The long wait is over. Alphonso Davies is finally back.
Canada's captain came off the bench in the second half of Sunday's World Cup knockout match against South Africa, returning to the pitch for his country for the first time in well over a year.
Davies, subbed on in the 75th minute, helped Canada earn a dramatic 1-0 victory to advance to the round of 16 at a men's World Cup for the first time.
He immediately created a chance after coming on the pitch.
"I felt great coming on," he told TSN's Matthew Scianitti after the match.
Davies tore the ACL in his right knee in March 2025 during the CONCACAF Nations League. He missed the entirety of the group stage at this summer's tournament while recovering from a hamstring injury suffered with Bayern Munich in May.
Sunday's contest took place at SoFi Stadium, the same venue where Davies suffered the knee injury that started his lengthy absence from the national team.
Head coach Jesse Marsch admitted Saturday that Davies was used as a "decoy" during the group stage, and the team never had any intention of rushing the 25-year-old back to play in the opening phase of the competition.
But at long last, Davies returned as the Canadians made their first-ever appearance in a knockout game at the men's World Cup.
"The effect that he'll have on the team being on the pitch ... changes the possibility for what the potential of our team is and what we can do in this tournament," Marsch said Saturday.
Canada will meet either the Netherlands or Morocco in the round of 16.
