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Tom Hindle

State of the Canada Men's National Team - Center backs: Moise Bombito and Derek Cornelius can be elite, but there are plenty of injury concerns

With Moise Bombito and Derek Cornelius anchoring the backline, Jesse Marsch has a duo of top talents - as long as they can find fitness ahead of the tournament.

Central defenders don't always have to be elite. Sure, there's the saying about defenses and championships. But this is a Jesse Marsch team, and what tends to matter for his sides - high pressing and all - is both athleticism and smarts. The best of his sides over the years haven't always been gifted with world-class center backs. But all of them have been good in the air and difficult to play against 1v1. It sounds reductive, but sometimes you just need big guys who can win tackles. 

And that's what Canada have here. Moise Bombito and Derek Cornelius, Canada's first-choice center back pairing offers a fine mix of intelligence and athleticism. Bombito is lightning quick and tidy in possession. Cornelius is immense in a tackle and a surprisingly good dribbler for his size. Piece them together, and there is a pretty solid center back duo. 

There's depth beneath them, too. Marsch will probably be able to take four or five center backs to the World Cup, and in a pool that includes Luc De Fougerolles, Joel Waterman, Kamal Miller, and Alfie Jones, he has plenty of options to choose from - as well as some reliable veteran leadership. Canada have star power at striker and full back. But in central defense they have reliability. And that might just be more valuable than anything anyone else can provide.

GOAL takes a look at Canada's center backs as it continues a detailed look at Les Rouges' player pool ahead of the 2026 World Cup...

Previous State of Canada: Goalkeepers|Full backs
  • Moise BombitoGetty

    The starters: Moise Bombito and Derek Cornelius

    Bombito is one of the great transfer success stories of Major League Soccer. He is, in fact, the model of what the league really should be: a top talent, identified young and sold off to Europe for a profit at the right age. Well, Bombito is now 25, and has settled in rather well in Ligue 1. When fit, he is right in the mix for a good Nice side and among the best in his position on his day. Injuries, it must be acknowledged, have rather hampered his career to date - not least a nasty leg break in November - but all signs point towards a full recovery in time for the World Cup. 

    Alongside him is Cornelius, another former MLS man who has made a success of himself all over Europe. From Vancouver, he has stopped at Panetolikos, Malmo, Marseille, and now Rangers, where he is a regular for the Scottish side. He cracked the Canada side in 2018 and is one of the few to have lasted between eras. These days, he is one of Marsch's clear favorites and a proper, reliable presence in central defense. 

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  • Luc De FougerollesGetty

    The backups: Luc De Fougerolles and Joel Waterman

    As with many spots on this side, there is reason for confidence in the backups - albeit in different ways. De Fougerolles certainly seems to be the future of the national side at center back, but this World Cup comes a little early for him to be a starter. Still, he's developed wonderfully at Belgian side Dender EH on loan from Fulham. The 20-year-old is yet to figure out his best position - he can play as a full back or center back. But that versatility may help him crack into the first team early. Marsch handed him nine appearances in 2025, enough for the youngster to be named Canada's Young Player of the Year for 2025. 

    Waterman, meanwhile, is at the other end of his career. The MLS vet was a regular for CF Montreal from 2020-2025 before being traded to Chicago in August. He snuck into the 2024 Copa America squad as an injury backup, and has stuck around ever since. He won't set the world alight, but the 30-year-old is always reliable. 

  • Curaçao v Canada - Gold Cup 2025Getty Images Sport

    Also in the mix: Kamal Miller, Jamie Knight-Lebel and Alfie Jones

    And here's where it gets complicated. Miller was a crucial member of the 2022 side, but it's never quite clicked for him in recent years, with the MLS vet seeing his playing time for the national side decrease year over year. He once seemed undroppable, yet will likely settle for backup minutes. 

    Jamie Knight-Lebel has all of the right tools and has shown flashes here and there - yet is perhaps a little young at 21 to guarantee playing time. And then there's Middlesbrough's Alfie Jones. He's a more versatile presence, capable of playing as a defensive midfielder as well as a center back. He started against Venezuela in November, and impressed - which might be enough to earn him more minutes. 

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  • Jesse Marsch Canada 2025Getty

    The final word

    It should be relatively simple here. In Cornelius and Bombito, Les Rouges have a talented center back duo that will be able to compete at a high level this summer. If there is any worry, it will surely be fitness, especially with Bombtio. Repeated injuries have limited his time on the pitch, but when he's performing, Canada have an elite presence at the back. 

    The good news? Those further down the depth chart can quite comfortably step in. There are, to be sure, stronger positions at Marsch's disposal. Yet this group should be more than enough to function as the base of a solid side.