The Canada men's national soccer team will start its new era without its biggest star.
Jesse Marsch's side is set for a trio of friendly matches in the September-October international break, but Alphonso Davies isn't present on the roster.
"Captain Alphonso Davies is currently unavailable for selection due to the celebration of his marriage and honeymoon," Canada Soccer said in its news release announcing the roster before noting that goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau also missed out because of a personal matter.
Canada is coming off its best-ever World Cup, not only getting its first-ever point in a men's World Cup but also earning its first win and a first knockout win. The North American squad eventually was eliminated by Morocco in the round of 16.
The first two matches, against Chile in Toronto and against Peru in Montreal, are being billed as "The Homecoming" by the federation, which is hoping fans will flock to see players who became heroes during a World Cup partially hosted in Canada.
Davies is one of the biggest stars on the team, but he was unable to play for most of the World Cup. A hamstring injury suffered in the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich kept him from taking part in the group stage, and Davies played just 15 minutes of the round of 32 contest with South Africa before again missing out on the round of 16.
The priority for Marsch was making sure Davies is happy and healthy in November when Canada will play a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal.
"We wanted him in this camp but he got married shortly after the World Cup. The World Cup was also a lot going on with him dealing with himself physically," Marsch said in a Zoom call Tuesday, Sept. 15. "Then he got into camp with Bayern. We talked about, does he go on honeymoon for half the camp and come in for us?
"He's in really good form, playing really well, looking really fit and feeling really good. We just wanted to make sure that in all ways, come November when we need him to be ready for meaningful matches and then going into March and then this whole next cycle that in all ways he's set himself up to be ready to commit fully and always do what we need from him for the national team."
Who is on the Canada roster for September and October matches?
While Davies is absent, some familiar faces return for Canada. Midfielder Samuel Piette, a Montreal native whose last Canada appearance came in 2024, and Junior Hoilett, a 36-year-old attacker who missed the final World Cup roster, both are recalled.
On the other end of the experience spectrum, 18-year-old Toronto FC defender Richard Chukwu and 21-year-old defender Jovan Ivanisevic are in the camp and hoping to make their first senior appearances.
Canada faces Chile on Sept. 26, Peru on Oct. 3 and then travels to meet the United States in Minnesota on Oct. 6.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canada star Alphonso Davies missing first post-World Cup matches for honeymoon
