Crucial Turnaround Before Round of 16: Canada Welcomes Superstar Back, Coach Calls Him the X-Factor

The Bayern Munich defender has yet to feature in the tournament due to a hamstring injury. He watched as his teammates finished second in Group B and advanced, but as co-hosts, they lost their home-field advantage.

While Marsch had previously hinted that Davies might play against Switzerland, the country's most famous football star is now "available." "Now that we have Alphonso back, healthy and ready to perform at a super level, I think it's a huge moment and a boost for the team. He's a massive X-factor for us," the coach stated.

Marsch suggested that Davies, as a left-back, could operate higher up in midfield to maximize his impact in both defense and attack. "I think him being on the field, the belief they have in him, the belief he has in himself, changes the possibilities of what our team's potential is and what we can achieve in this tournament," the 52-year-old coach remarked.

Davies injured his hamstring last month in the Champions League semi-finals, where his Bayern Munich faced eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. This followed a series of muscle injuries and an eight-month layoff due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Reaching the knockout stage is historic for Canada in itself. But had they drawn or beaten Switzerland, they would have had the advantage of remaining at home for the next two playoff rounds. Instead, they will become the first World Cup host to play a match on foreign soil.

South Africa had also never advanced past the group stage before. After an opening loss to Mexico and a disastrous performance that included two red cards, "Bafana Bafana" recovered with a draw against the Czech Republic and an impressive victory over South Korea in their final Group A match.

Coach Hugo Broos said that advancing means they can already consider the World Cup a success, but he insisted his team is eager to go even further. "That doesn't mean that now that we're happy, we'll play the game and go home. Once you're there, you want more, and we want to win the match," he explained.

"I think if we can show the same mentality and level as we did against South Korea, then we have a chance to win, even though Canada is a very tough opponent," Broos added.