Who is Alphonso Davies? Alphonso Davies is a 17-year-old Ghana-born Canadian. When he was five, his family immigrated to Canada as refugees. While in Edmonton, he played for both the Edmonton Internationals and the Edmonton Strikers soccer clubs. Davies says that he enjoyed his time in Edmonton and that playing soccer helped him feel comfortable in his new home.
In February of 2016, he was signed to the Whitecaps FC 2 squad, making him the youngest player to sign a professional contract in the USL. Within two months, he also became the league’s youngest goalscorer at just 15 years, six months. Later that same year, he signed a contract with Whitecaps FC. When he made his debut appearance for the team, he became the second-youngest player to play in the MLS.
In 2017, Davies received his Canadian citizenship. In an interview with the Nugget, he says he is grateful for the help he has received from his coaching staff and fellow teammates on the Whitecaps for helping him study for his citizenship test.
Since then, he has represented Canada on a number of occasions on their U17, U20 and the national team, scoring three goals in the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The Nike Commercial
On Sept. 5, 2018, Nike released their “Dream Crazy” ad, narrated by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The ad featured world-famous athletes like LeBron James, Serena Williams and Odell Beckham Jr. just to name a few, Davies was among them.
“If you’re born a refugee, don’t let it stop you from playing soccer. From the national team. At age 16.” Kaepernick inspirationally voices over the video of Davies scoring a goal at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the youngest player from Canada to ever do so.
Davies said that this was an amazing opportunity for him to be a part of the ad alongside these major athletes, “I’m just a kid that came from Edmonton who’s going to play soccer,” said Davies.
What’s next for Davies?
Earlier this year, the young professional soccer player signed a contract with FC Bayern Munich. The deal could provide the Whitecaps with more than $22 million US, setting another MLS record.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity I’m getting right now to sign with Bayern Munich,” said Davies. “It was amazing. As a kid, you dream about moments like this – wanting to play for big clubs like Bayern Munich – and I’m really grateful for the opportunity I’m getting playing for them.”
Davies will finish his current season with the Vancouver Whitecaps before he makes his move to the German team.
“Being able to sign for them is a dream come true.”
He says he is especially looking forward to playing with top-class players like Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry.
What’s next for Canadian soccer?
In his interview, Davies said, “Going forward, Canada is really developing a lot of good players.
”He says that the team has their sights on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and that although they are excited for the 2026 World Cup, the team is focused on one thing at a time.
Davies hopes that his trade to FC Bayern Munich will inspire other Canadian athletes to pursue their professional dreams, and he is looking forward to the future of the Canadian team.
– Zachary Flynn
