A 16-year-old Edmonton boy made Canadian soccer history on Tuesday when he hit the pitch for Team Canada and became the youngest player to ever play for the national team.
But Alphonso Davies’ remarkable story is about more than just a precocious talent.
Davies was born in a refugee camp in central Ghana in 2000. His parents settled in the camp after fleeing Liberia, which was in the midst of a violent civil war.
By his fifth birthday, Davies and his parents moved to Canada and resettled in Edmonton. That’s where he joined his first soccer team and honed his skills as a fearless midfielder.
He worked his way up the soccer ranks and, by 15, made his professional debut with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
It’s a quick ascent that has captured the attention of the soccer world. Davies hasn’t yet graduated high school, but he already had a pro contract.
Still, Davies had another aspiration: to represent his adoptive country as a player for Team Canada. To make his dream a reality, Davies officially became a Canadian citizen last week. Later that day, he officially joined a soccer camp for Canada’s senior squad.
On Tuesday, his dream finally came to fruition when he ran onto the field in a friendly game between Canada and Curacao.
The Canadian soccer world is delighted to have the rising star keen to represent the country.
“He was developed in Canada, and I think we’re very proud of that,” said Peter Montopoli, general secretary of Soccer Canada.
While his future in athletics looks bright, Davies still has other priorities on the go. Namely, graduating high school, as he promised his mom.
With a report from CTV’s Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin
