Canada head coach Jesse Marsch has named Alphonso Davies in a 26-man squad he called the finest group of players the country has ever fielded, ahead of this summer's FIFA World Cup on home soil.

Davies, 25, earns his place despite continuing his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained during Bayern Munich's UEFA Champions League semi-final defeat against Paris St-Germain. That setback arrived in the wake of a series of muscle problems following his return from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear — an injury that had kept him sidelined for eight months from October.

Juventus forward Jonathan David also makes the squad, as do Porto midfielder Stephen Eustaquio, Villarreal's Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi, and Southampton striker Cyle Larin.

Marsch's fitness warning

Marsch was candid about the fitness levels of several players while pushing back on persistent media questions about injuries. "We have really our best group of 26 players that this country has ever assembled at any one time," he said. "Are all of them right now at full 100%? No, but they're close."

The Canada coach acknowledged that Davies may not be fully fit for the country's opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on 12 June. "Will everyone be 100% for the Bosnia match? No, that won't be the case," he said. "But we will have a really strong core that will be ready for that match, and we believe we can get stronger as the tournament goes on."

Marsch framed the selection process as one largely shaped by fitness projections. "The real X factor in all these decisions was to determine which players are gonna be healthy, and who could we project to be really close to 100% and in the best form of their life," he explained.

Canada's World Cup challenge

As one of three co-hosts alongside the United States and Mexico, Canada will play all three group-stage matches on home soil. After facing Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, the Canadians host Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver.

Canada have never won a World Cup match, and will be eager to change that record in front of their own supporters at the expanded 48-team tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July.

Full Canada World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Dayne St Clair (Inter Miami), Maxime Crepeau (Orlando City), Owen Goodman (Crystal Palace).

Defenders: Alistair Johnston (Celtic), Derek Cornelius (Marseille), Richie Laryea (Toronto), Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split), Joel Waterman (Chicago Fire), Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham), Moise Bombito (Nice), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Alfie Jones (Middlesbrough).

Midfielders: Stephen Eustaquio (Porto), Ismael Kone (Sassuolo), Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal), Mathieu Choiniere (Los Angeles FC), Ali Ahmed (Norwich City), Nathan Saliba (Anderlecht), Liam Millar (Hull City), Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL), Jacob Shaffelburg (Toronto), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto).

Forwards: Jonathan David (Juventus), Cyle Larin (Southampton), Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal), Promise David (Union SG).