Canada's World Cup squad loses key defender Moïse Bombito
Centre-back Moïse Bombito has been ruled out of the FIFA World Cup after his surgically repaired leg was deemed not healthy enough to compete.
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Canada's men's national team has pulled Moïse Bombito from its World Cup roster after determining the 26-year-old's surgically repaired leg is not healthy enough for tournament play.
Bombito, a Montreal native currently playing for OGC Nice in France's Ligue 1, has been recovering from a broken leg suffered in October. He appeared in the first 30 minutes of Canada's friendly against Uzbekistan in Edmonton earlier this month but received no playing time in the team's final tune-up match against Ireland in Montreal.
The decision reflects a priority on Bombito's long-term health over short-term competition, according to multiple sources cited by TSN's Matthew Scianitti.
One of the Cavs' higher-profile defenders and a cornerstone of Canada's backline, Bombito's absence adds to a growing injury list ahead of Friday's World Cup opener on home soil. The team has already lost midfielder Marcelo Flores to injury. There are also concerns about whether left back Alphonso Davies will be fit for the tournament's start.
Head coach Jesse Marsch will likely turn to Ralph Priso or Kamal Miller as Bombito's replacement, though no official announcement has been made.
The timing is a significant blow. Canada is attempting to secure its first men's World Cup victory at the tournament, and losing both Bombito and Flores leaves the team facing a steep challenge if Davies is unavailable as well.