Form Guide: How CanMNT's squad is performing heading into Concacaf Nations League Finals
On Thursday, the Canadian men's national team are in action for the first time in 2025, and they will be thrown immediately into the deep end with a knockout fixture against one of the giants of the region in a sure-to-be hostile environment at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
With that in mind, and with a short camp to prepare for Thursday's Concacaf Nations League semi-final against Mexico (7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET on OneSoccer) -- and then ideally a final on Sunday against either the United States or Panama -- it is crucial that manager Jesse Marsch quickly establish which players are in the best position to hit the ground running. There are a number of factors in this between health, club form and previous time spent under his tutelage in Canadian camps.
Here is a look at the form each member of Canada's squad is in going into this competition, and perhaps how that will factor into Jesse Marsch's lineup decision on Thursday:
Goalkeepers
Maxime Crépeau, Portland Timbers
It has been a difficult start to the 2025 season for Crépeau, who conceded four goals in Portland's season-opening loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. He then suffered a leg injury, which kept him out of the lineup for the next two matches, before returning to the bench this past weekend.
Tom McGill, Brighton & Hove Albion
After spending the first part of the season on loan with MK Dons in League Two, making 25 appearances, McGill returned to parent club Brighton in January. He has yet to see any action with the Premier League club, twice making the bench for FA Cup fixtures.
Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United
Kicking off his sixth MLS season with Minnesota United, St. Clair has been solid so far, conceding just four goals in four matches and keeping two clean sheets. He did, however, allow three in a disappointing second half against Sporting Kansas City this past weekend.
Defenders
Zorhan Bassong, Sporting Kansas City
Called in as an injured replacement for Richie Laryea, Bassong gives Canada critical coverage at the left-back position. However, it is worth noting that he has started the past three matches as a central midfielder for Sporting Kansas City in MLS action.
Moïse Bombito, OGC Nice
After a groin injury limited Bombito's involvement through the first month of 2025, he has returned as an everyday starter for Nice over the past six matches -- a stretch in which they have lost just once. Bombito is enjoying a fantastic first season in Ligue 1.
Derek Cornelius, Olympique de Marseille
After missing two matches due to a card accumulation suspension, Cornelius played 90 minutes against PSG this past weekend in a 3-1 loss for Marseille. When healthy and available for Marseille this season, he has generally been a starter.
Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich
Returning early from a torn muscle fibre injury, Davies has been playing some of the best football of his career over the past few months. He scored twice in the Champions League, first a late winner that saw them advance past Celtic in the Round of 32, then another tally against Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16.
Jamie Knight-Lebel, Crewe Alexandra
Knight-Lebel's loan from Bristol City to Crewe Alexandra is going incredibly well as a consistent starter for the League Two side. He started 15 of the last 16 matches, missing just one through red card suspension.
Alistair Johnston, Celtic
Johnston's game has reached another level this season for Celtic. He was fantastic during their Champions League run, including a narrow loss to Bayern Munich in February. He is also currently tied for the league lead in assists in the Scottish Premiership this season with seven, and has four goals to go with that as well.
Joel Waterman, CF Montréal
One of the few bright spots during a difficult start to the season for CF Montréal has been Waterman. He has played every minute of the campaign so far, and has been solid both defensively and in the way the club build out of the back with his outstanding range of passing.
Midfielders
Ali Ahmed, Vancouver Whitecaps
The Vancouver Whitecaps have been outstanding to start the 2025 season, and Ahmed's performances are a big part of that. The 24-year-old midfielder has two assists in eight matches in all competitions.
Tajon Buchanan, Villarreal
Since joining Villarreal on loan from Inter Milan in January, Buchanan has mostly played limited minutes off the bench. But he will get a big confidence boost from making his first start for the club this past weekend, against Real Madrid no less -- and looked solid on both sides of the ball.
Mathieu Choinière, Grasshopper Zurich
Perhaps a surprise inclusion in this Canadian side considering he had not appeared much since December as he dealt with an injury, Choinière played a solid 90 minutes against FC Sion in a 1-1 draw over the weekend.
Stephen Eustáquio, Porto
In and out of the lineup during an at times tumultuous season for Porto as a club, Eustáquio has been getting fairly consistent starts and minutes over the past few months. There have been some difficult moments, however, like his sending-off against Roma in the Europa League knockouts.
Ismaël Koné, Stade Rennais
Having moved to Rennes on loan at the end of the January transfer window, Koné finally seems to be finding his footing again. He has appeared in all six of the club's matches since, helping them to put some distance between themselves and the Ligue 1 relegation zone. Slowly but surely he appears to be getting his confidence back as well, getting forward and creating chances. This Canada camp could come at a very good time for the 22-year-old.
Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC
Toronto FC's captain has been on the pitch for every minute of their start to the 2025 season, and scored in a 2-2 draw against D.C. United on opening day -- their only point so far. Osorio looks fit, ready and hungry should he be called upon by Marsch.
Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC
Shaffelburg earned his first minutes of the season on Sunday after missing the first three match-weeks of the MLS season with a hamstring injury. He looked his usual self during a 15-minute cameo appearance off the bench, playing his vertical and high-energy brand of football and could be an option to do the same for Canada this week.
Niko Sigur, Hajduk Split
The 21-year-old has shown his positional versatility in recent weeks, playing everywhere from right back, to defensive midfield, to right wing for Hajduk Split in Croatia. He picked up an assist in a recent win against HNK Gorica, and has been getting consistent starting minutes regardless of where on the pitch he plays.
Forwards
Jonathan David, Lille
Perhaps no player has had a better club season this year than Jonathan David, who comes into Canada camp confident on the back of three goals and an assist in his past five matches in all competitions. That includes goals against PSG in Ligue 1 action and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
Promise David, Union Saint-Gilloise
Since the turn of the calendar, no player in the national team pool has been more lethal in front of goal than Promise David. He has seven goals and three assists in all competitions this year, recently scoring against Ajax in the Europa League, and a brace against Standard Liège in the Belgian PRO League. That should give him all the confidence he needs as he joins Canada for the first time.
Daniel Jebbison, Bournemouth
After a disastrous loan spell with Watford, Jebbison's return to Bournemouth has been far more promising. While he hasn't been used often, with just eight minutes played in the past five match weeks in the Premier League, Jebbison tallied twice during FA Cup action since January.
Cyle Larin, Mallorca
Larin is in a tough run of form currently, not starting any of Mallorca's last six matches. He is also goalless in their past nine, but has always shown an ability to raise his game for the national team -- especially in a starting role.
Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United
Oluwaseyi comes into Canada camp off of his best performance of the MLS season to date, scoring a brace in a 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City this weekend. He also has an assist through the first four matches of Minnesota's MLS season.
