Only days after naming the 26 men he selected to represent Canada at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Jesse Marsch must make a change to his squad with only 11 days remaining until the Group B opener in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Marcelo Flores ruptured his ACL in Tigres’ penalties defeat to Toluca on Saturday night in the CONCACAF Champions League Cup Final. It’s a cruel blow to a player whose hometown of Georgetown, Ont. is only an hour’s drive away from where the 23-year-old winger was set to play on June 12.
But injuries this late in the game are not unheard of and it’s something every team must contend with when naming a squad with competitive club matches and friendlies still to be played before the World Cup kicks off.
Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree picked up a hamstring injury during his side’s loss to Hull City in the Championship playoff final and he is now out of Australia’s squad. Scotland lost Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour to a knee injury incurred during a friendly victory over Curacao on Saturday. Manchester United youngster Tyler Fletcher, son of Tartan Army and United great Darren Fletcher, has been drafted into the team as his replacement.
If there is any silver lining for Marsch and the other gaffers dealing with late injuries it’s that pre-tournament camps are underway and final cuts have just been made, meaning that replacements are already top of mind. Marsch just had a close look at a squad of 32 players before whittling it down to 26 on Friday. With the aim of naming Flores’ replacement ahead of or just after Friday’s friendly with Ireland in Montreal, Marsch is only considering a few names and might even have made his decision. So, who might take that last spot?
In his Sunday press availability in which he confirmed the injury to Flores, Marsch floated out of the names of three different players who could be called into the team as its 26th player. Two of the three were present at last week’s camp and were among the final cuts. The other player is a dependable veteran who was a member of the squad at Qatar 2022.
Perhaps the most obvious replacement for Flores is Austin FC’s Jayden Nelson. As close to a like-for-like substitution Marsch can pick from, the 23-year-old Brampton, Ont. native is a pacey winger in the mould of Flores. Because of the depth on the left that Canada has, Nelson has yet to feature in 2026 but has been capped 12 times by the senior side, including seven times under Marsch. A part of the Vancouver Whitecaps’ run to the MLS Cup Final last fall, Nelson’s recent playoff experience bodes well for the demands of tournament play.
That Flores is a winger is no guarantee that Marsch will seek an exact replacement. While unlikely to go for a defensive-minded option, Marsch could be apt to call up a forward with his open roster spot. If that’s the case, it could be Daniel Jebbison, another late cut.
The 22-year-old Oakville, Ont. native spent the season on loan at Preston North End from parent club Bournemouth. Championship goals were not plentiful for the Sheffield United academy product, notching just six in 38 league appearances. Yet Jebbison offers strength and height in the six-yard box and could be an enticing bench option for a team chasing a late goal. With Promise David coming off a serious hip injury in February and yet to see game action since, a player of Jebbison’s profile might certainly be of use to Marsch.
What about a player who was not in last week’s camp in Charlotte? Capped 75 times by Canada, Junior Hoilett, who turns 36 on Friday, is a beloved figure in the national program and commands respect. With Marsch naming a younger side, it seemed that he would be picking only one of Hoilett or Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio for the midfield veteran role and he opted for the latter. But now with a roster spot open, Marsch could turn to the versatile Brampton, Ont. native, who spent the last six months with League Two side Swindon Town.
What Hoilett brings to the table goes beyond what he offers on the pitch. The presence of Hoilett, a player who has been in the national setup for over a decade, almost adds another coach to the equation whose vast experience can only be an asset for such a young squad.
