Alphonso Davies facts for kids
Davies playing for Bayern Munich in 2022
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alphonso Boyle Davies | ||
| Date of birth | November 2, 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Buduburam, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Bayern Munich | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Edmonton Internationals | |||
| Edmonton Strikers | |||
| 2015–2016 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2016 | Whitecaps FC 2 | 11 | (2) |
| 2016–2018 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 65 | (8) |
| 2018–2019 | Bayern Munich II | 6 | (0) |
| 2019– | Bayern Munich | 154 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2016 | Canada U17 | 12 | (2) |
| 2016 | Canada U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2017– | Canada | 58 | (15) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:24, March 15, 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 23, 2025 |
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Alphonso Boyle Davies, born on November 2, 2000, is a professional soccer player. He plays as a left-back for the German club Bayern Munich. He is also the captain of the Canadian national team. Many people think Davies is one of the best left-backs in the world. He is nicknamed "the Roadrunner" because he is super fast, great at dribbling the ball, and very creative on the field.
Davies was the first player born in the 2000s to play in a Major League Soccer (MLS) match. He joined Bayern Munich in January 2019 from the MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps FC. His transfer fee was a record for MLS at that time. In February 2025, he signed a new contract with Bayern Munich until June 2030. Davies was named the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season for the 2019–20 season. In that same season, his team won the continental treble. This means Bayern won the Bundesliga, the UEFA Champions League, and the DFB-Pokal (German Cup). His amazing performances made him a finalist for the 2020 Golden Boy award.
Davies was born in Ghana to Liberian parents who were refugees. His family moved to Canada when he was five years old. Davies became a Canadian citizen in June 2017. Later that month, he became the youngest player to play for the Canada national team. He scored two goals in a 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against French Guiana. This made him the youngest player to score for Canada and the youngest to score at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He was also the first player born in the 2000s to score in a major international tournament. He was named CONCACAF Men's Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022. Davies played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he scored Canada's first-ever goal at a men's World Cup. He is widely seen as the best player and the face of the Canadian national team.
Davies is the first soccer player and the first Canadian to become an ambassador for the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to Canada
Davies was born in Buduburam, a refugee camp in Ghana. His parents, Debeah and Victoria Davies, were from Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. They had to leave their home because of the Second Liberian Civil War. This war forced over 450,000 Liberians to leave their homes.
In 2005, when Alphonso was five, his family moved to Canada. They eventually settled in Edmonton. In Edmonton, Davies went to Mother Teresa Elementary School. When he was 14, Davies moved alone to Vancouver. He joined the Whitecaps FC Residency program there. As part of this program, he attended Burnaby Central Secondary School. On June 6, 2017, he officially became a Canadian citizen. Before that, he was a Liberian national.
Davies also went to St Nicholas Catholic Junior High in Edmonton. His school soccer teammate, Onesphore Hamis, remembered that "Soccer was the thing he wanted to get into, but language was a problem." Another classmate, Chernoh Fahnbulleh, said Davies "spoke English but it was, like, broken English."
As a child in Edmonton, Davies first played organized soccer with Free Footie. This is an after-school league for kids who cannot afford fees or equipment. After playing for Edmonton Internationals and Edmonton Strikers, Davies joined the Whitecaps FC Residency in 2015. He was 14 years old at the time.
Club Soccer Career
Starting with Whitecaps FC 2
Davies joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC for their preseason training in 2016. On February 23, 2016, he signed with Whitecaps FC 2 in the USL. At 15 years and 3 months old, he was the youngest player ever to sign a USL contract. Davies played his first professional game for Whitecaps FC 2 in April 2016. He was 15 years and 5 months old.
On May 15, 2016, he scored his first professional goal. This made him the youngest goal scorer in USL history at 15 years and 6 months. He held this record until 2020. He scored two goals in 11 games during the 2016 season.
Playing for Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Davies was added to the Whitecaps team for the 2016 Canadian Championship. On June 1, 2016, he played his first game for the main team. This was against Ottawa Fury FC.
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On July 15, 2016, Davies signed a full contract with the Whitecaps until 2018. He was the youngest active player in Major League Soccer (MLS) at that time. He was also the third youngest player to ever sign an MLS contract. Davies played his first MLS game on July 16, 2016. He was the second youngest player to play in MLS, after Freddy Adu.
In September 2016, he scored his first goal for the main team. This was in the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League against Sporting Kansas City. His goal helped his team move to the next round. Davies became the second youngest starter in MLS history in September 2016. During the 2016 season, Davies played in eight MLS games, four Canadian Championship games, and three Champions League games. In the 2017 season, he played in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals. He scored a goal in a 2–0 win against New York Red Bulls.
After his great start in MLS, big European clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool became interested in Davies. In 2017, he was named one of the 60 best young soccer talents in the world. In the 2018 season opener, Davies scored his first MLS goal. He also helped Kei Kamara score. On June 10, 2018, he scored a goal and made three assists in a 5–2 win. Davies scored two goals and made two assists in a 4–2 win against Minnesota United on July 29.
On June 29, 2018, Davies was chosen for the 2018 MLS All-Star Game against Juventus. He played in the match, which ended in a penalty shootout loss. Davies was named the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Player of the Year on October 24. He also won the Whitecaps' Goal of the Year award. In his last game for Vancouver on October 28, he scored both goals in a 2–1 win.
Joining Bayern Munich
Moving to Germany and First Trophies
On July 25, 2018, Vancouver announced that Davies would move to the German club Bayern Munich. Davies finished the 2018 MLS season with Vancouver. He then joined Bayern in January 2019. The transfer fee was about US$13.5 million, with extra payments that could reach $22 million. This was a record for MLS at the time.
Davies had his first training session with Bayern on November 21, 2018. He played his first game on January 12, 2019, in the Telekom Cup final. Bayern won the cup after a tie and penalty shootout. Davies made his Bundesliga debut on January 27. He came on as a substitute in a 3–1 win. He scored his first goal for Bayern on March 17 in a 6–0 win. At 18 years old, he became the youngest player to score for the club in 20 years. He is also the first Canadian international to score for Bayern. On May 18, 2019, Davies won his first Bundesliga title with Bayern. A week later, Davies won his first DFB-Pokal (German Cup). Bayern beat RB Leipzig 3–0 in the final.
Becoming a Star and Champions League Win
Davies started his first Bundesliga game for Bayern on November 2, 2019. He played the whole game in a 2–1 win. He made his first UEFA Champions League start on November 6, 2019, in a 2–0 win. During the 2019–20 season, coach Niko Kovač moved Davies to the left-back position. This happened because other players were injured. Davies received a lot of praise for his play in this role. He quickly became known as one of the best left-backs in the world.
On February 25, 2020, Davies helped set up a goal in a 3–0 win against Chelsea in the Champions League. His performance was highly praised. Pundit Gary Lineker said Davies played "beautifully." Former U.S. international Stuart Holden called him a "world class left back." In April 2020, Bayern Munich and Davies agreed to extend his contract until 2025.
After the Bundesliga restarted following the COVID-19 pandemic, Davies played against Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund. He scored and assisted in the Frankfurt match. He also famously ran down Dortmund's Erling Haaland at a speed of 35.3 km/h (21.9 mph). On June 16, 2020, Davies played in a 1–0 win against Werder Bremen. This win secured Bayern Munich's eighth league title in a row. Davies was sent off in that game, but not before breaking the record for the fastest speed in the Bundesliga at 36.51 km/h (22.69 mph). Davies was named the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year for the 2019–20 season.
On August 14, 2020, Davies was praised for assisting Joshua Kimmich's goal against Barcelona. Bayern Munich won that Champions League quarter-final match 8–2. On August 23, he started in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern won 1–0, completing a continental treble. Davies became the first Canadian international to win the Champions League.
Recent Success and Injuries
On October 24, 2020, Davies had to leave a game early due to an ankle injury. He was expected to be out for 6 to 8 weeks. Davies finished third for the 2020 Golden Boy award. This award is for the best young player in Europe. On February 11, 2021, he played in a 1–0 win in the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup Final.
On January 5, 2022, Davies tested positive for COVID-19. Later, it was found that he had developed mild myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle. He was unable to train with his team for a while. Davies was fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
On October 8, 2022, Davies got a head injury during a game. On March 4, 2023, Davies played his 100th Bundesliga game for Bayern. This made him the youngest non-German player to reach this milestone for the club. On May 8, 2024, he scored his first Champions League goal in a semi-final match against Real Madrid. On February 4, 2025, he extended his contract with Bayern until 2030. Davies scored a goal in the 94th minute against Celtic in a Champions League match on February 19, 2025. This helped Bayern win 3–2 overall. A month later, he got an ACL injury in his right knee. This injury happened during international break and meant he would miss the rest of the 2024–25 season.
Playing for Canada
Youth Teams
Davies was born a Liberian citizen. However, he was invited to many Canada under-15 and under-18 training camps in 2014 and 2015. In March 2016, he was called up to the Canada under-20 team. In November 2016, Davies attended a Canada under-17 camp and scored a goal. In 2016, he was named the Canada U17 Male Player of the Year. In March 2017, Davies said that "to be able to represent Canada, it is one of my dreams." He was named the Canada under-17 Male Player of the Year again in 2017.
Senior National Team
On June 6, 2017, Davies became a Canadian citizen. This made him able to play for the Canada national team. On the same day, he was added to the senior team for a friendly game. Davies played his first game for the senior team on June 13, 2017. He was 16 years old, making him the youngest player to play for the national team.
On July 7, 2017, Davies scored two goals in a 4–2 win against French Guiana. This made him the youngest goalscorer in both Gold Cup and Canada history. He then scored in their next match against Costa Rica. Davies won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer. He also won the Young Player of the Tournament award.
On May 30, 2019, Davies was named to the team for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. In October 2019, Davies helped Canada win against the United States for the first time in 34 years. He scored the first goal in their 2–0 win.
In July 2021, Davies was named to the Canada team for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. However, he got an ankle injury and could not play. On October 13, 2021, Davies scored an amazing goal in a World Cup qualifying match. He ran 80 yards at a top speed of 37.1 km/h (23.1 mph). In November 2021, Davies played a key role in Canada's 2–1 World Cup qualifying win over Mexico.
Davies missed the final World Cup qualifying games due to his myocarditis. His online comments about the remaining games got a lot of attention. Especially his reaction to Canada's 4–0 win over Jamaica. This win officially qualified Canada for the 2022 World Cup. It was only the second time Canada had done this, and the first time since 1986.
In June 2022, Davies returned to international play after his heart issue. He scored two goals in a 4–0 win against Curaçao. In November 2022, Davies was named to Canada's team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In Canada's first game against Belgium, he missed an early penalty kick. Four days later, he scored Canada's first-ever goal at the FIFA World Cup against Croatia. However, Croatia won 4–1, and Canada was out of the tournament. He remains Canada’s only goalscorer ever in the FIFA World Cup.
In June 2023, Davies was named to the team for the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals. He came off the bench in the semi-final and scored a goal in a 2–0 win against Panama. Canada reached the final, but lost 2–0 to the United States.
Davies was captain of Canada for the first time in a friendly game on June 6, 2024. On June 15, Davies was named to Canada's team for the 2024 Copa América. He was later named the team's captain for the tournament. Davies led his country all the way to the semi-finals, where Canada finished fourth. In September 2024, Davies captained Canada to a 2–1 win against the United States. This was their first win on American soil since 1957.
Davies was on the team for Canada's November 2024 games. However, he withdrew due to "match fatigue." Canada won those games and moved on to the 2025 Nations League finals.
How Alphonso Davies Plays
Style of Play
Davies mostly plays as an attacking full-back on the left side of the field. But he can also play as a wing-back, left midfielder, or winger. He is known for his incredible speed, dribbling skills, creativity, and ability to cross the ball. These skills allow him to run past defenders and create chances for his team.
Even though he is very good at attacking, his speed and smart play also help him defend. He can quickly get back to help his team stop opponents. Many people see him as a very promising young player.
What People Say About Him
Davies is widely considered one of the best left-backs in the world. People especially praise his ability to also play as an offensive winger. In his early years with Bayern, he was seen as one of the world's best young players. He was on the 2020 IFFHS World Youth Team. He also finished 3rd in the voting for the 2020 Golden Boy award. This award goes to the best under-21 player in Europe.
Many people believe he is the greatest Canadian player of all time. He is seen as the "face" of his national team. He scored Canada's first-ever World Cup goal in 2022. He is also considered one of the two best active players from the CONCACAF region, along with Christian Pulisic.
Personal Life
Davies was in a relationship with fellow Canadian soccer player Jordyn Huitema. She is a forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the Canada women's national team. They started dating in September 2017. In May 2022, Davies confirmed on social media that they had broken up.
Davies is an ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In April 2020, he played a virtual soccer match against another professional player, Asmir Begović. Begović also came to Canada as a child refugee. They played to raise money for the UNHCR.
Davies is a fan of the NHL team, the Edmonton Oilers. He also serves as a club ambassador for Edmonton BTB SC. He played for this club for a short time when he was younger.
Honours
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
- DFB-Pokal: 2018–19, 2019–20
- DFL-Supercup: 2020, 2021, 2022
- UEFA Champions League: 2019–20
- UEFA Super Cup: 2020
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2020
Individual Awards
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2017
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Bright Future Award: 2017
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Boot Award: 2017
- FIFA FIFPro World11: 2020
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- IFFHS Men's World Youth (U20) Team: 2020
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2020
- CONCACAF Men's Player of the Year: 2021, 2022
- CONCACAF Best XI: 2021
- CONCACAF Nations League Finals Best XI: 2023
- Lou Marsh Trophy co-winner: 2020
- Lionel Conacher Award winner: 2020
- Canadian Men's Player of the Year: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022
- Canada U-17 Male Player of the Year: 2016, 2017
- UEFA Champions League Defender of the Season runner-up: 2019–20
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2019–20
- UEFA Champions League Breakthrough XI: 2020
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Season: 2019–20
- Bundesliga Player of the Month: November 2021
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: May 2020
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2019–20
- MLS All-Star: 2018
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC Player of the Year: 2018
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC Goal of the Year: 2018
See also
In Spanish: Alphonso Davies para niños
