Canada men’s national team is set to replace Moïse Bombito on its 26-player roster after the team determined the centre back’s surgically repaired tibia is not healthy enough for him to compete at the World Cup, multiple sources tell TSN.
Multiple sources also say Canada’s decision is meant to prioritize the 26-year-old’s long-term health.
Bombito played 30 minutes in a behind closed-door scrimmage against USL League Two side Vermont Green FC. A much-changed Canada line-up won the game 3-0. Bombito’s World Cup availability was determined after the match.
Bombito broke his leg last October and only played 30 minutes in last week’s World Cup tune-up against Uzbekistan in Edmonton before limping off the pitch and getting ice on his leg.
Bombito told TSN after the game he felt “sore.” A day later, Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch admitted Bombito felt some sensitivity in his leg.
Bombito did not participate in full training when the team travelled to Montreal and took part in a few drills alongside Ali Ahmed, who is dealing with his own hamstring injury, prior to Friday’s 1-1 draw with Ireland, Canada’s final game before the tournament.
In Bombito’s absence, Luc de Fougerolles has stepped in. The 20-year-old came on for Bombito in Edmonton, started against Ireland in Montreal, and now looks set to start Canada’s first World Cup match this coming Friday against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Canada now has until June 11 at 3:00pm ET – 24 hours prior to its opening World Cup match – to draw a replacement from the team’s provisional 55-player roster, which Canada chose not to make public in May.
Although not on Canada’s World Cup roster, defenders Ralph Priso and Zorhan Bassong are currently with the Canadian squad. The other centre backs on Canada’s World Cup roster are Derek Cornelius, Joel Waterman, and Alfie Jones.
This is now the second Canadian player to miss the tournament through injury after midfielder Marcelo Flores ruptured his ACL in his final game for his club Tigres prior to meeting-up with the national team.
Currently, Alphonso Davies (hamstring), Jacob Shaffelburg (hamstring), Ahmed (hamstring), and Jones (ankle) have all been doing rehab work with Canada’s medical staff.
Bombito’s loss is a blow to Canada. His intelligence, speed, and strength were a revelation during Canada’s run to the semi-finals of Copa América.
He leveraged that into a move to Nice in France’s Ligue 1, and immediately became a starter.
Prior to breaking his leg, Bombito dealt with a stress fracture in the same leg. When Canada met in March in Toronto, Marsch said then Bombito had suffered a setback in his recovery.
