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Men's National Team June 05, 2017

Canada Soccer welcomes Alphonso Davies as new Canadian

Alphonso Davies takes his Oath of Citizenship

Canada Soccer welcomed Alphonso Davies as a new Canadian after the young footballer took his Oath of Citizenship at his Canadian Citizenship Ceremony.

“I am overwhelmed and I am glad I can make my parents proud by becoming a Canadian citizen,” said Alphonso Davies. “It has been a long journey becoming a Canadian citizen.”

The 16-year old midfielder, who has been part of Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program since 2014, can now officially accept his first call up to the National Team Program ahead of a Men’s International Friendly match in Montréal.

“We are very proud to welcome Alphonso Davies into our Men’s National Team Program as a full Canadian citizen,” said Steve Reed, President of Canada Soccer. “Coming up through Canada Soccer’s youth system, he has worked hard to achieve his success and he will be a big part of our future.”

Davies departs for Montréal where he will join an extended Men’s National Team roster training in Laval ahead of the 13 June 2017 Men’s International Friendly. He will look to impress the coaching staff with hopes of making the final squad for the match at Stade Saputo: from the full group of 28 players, Head Coach Octavio Zambrano will reduce the number of players on Friday 9 June after a Thursday intra-squad match.

“I am really excited to be called into Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team,” Davies said. “Canada Soccer worked extremely hard to get me where I am right now and I am very grateful. I am really glad they took their time and put the effort in me in helping me get my citizenship.”

The international match is part of a three-match Summer of Soccer Series in Canada which includes a pair of Women’s International Matches in Winnipeg and Toronto. The Women’s National Team has matches against Costa Rica on 8 and 11 June ahead of the Men’s National Team’s return to Montréal on 13 June. All three matches will be broadcast live on TSN.

Davies has been a part of Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program since 2014 when he was just 13 years old. He is currently a professional player with Vancouver Whitecaps FC. After making his pro debut at age 15, he became the youngest goal scorer in the history of the Canadian Championship at age 16 on 23 May 2017.

Before moving to Vancouver in 2015, Davies grew up in Edmonton, Alberta where he played for Edmonton Inter, Edmonton Strikers, FC Edmonton Academy, and St. Nicholas Soccer Academy. He was just five years old when he arrived in Canada, living briefly in Windsor, Ontario before moving out west to Edmonton.

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SUMMER OF SOCCER IN CANADA
This summer, Canada Soccer’s National Teams will play in Winnipeg, Toronto and Montréal from 8-13 June. The Women’s National Team will face Costa Rica on 8 June at Investors Group Field and 11 June at BMO Field before the Men’s National Team, in their send-off match before the CONCACAF Gold Cup, face Curaçao on 13 June at Stade Saputo.

For complete ticket and event information, fans can visit migmultidev-canada-soccer.pantheonsite.io/tickets.

CONCACAF GOLD CUP
Canada are two-time CONCACAF champions, having won the CONCACAF Championship in 1985 and the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2000. Since the first edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991, Canada’s best finishes are first place in 2000 and semi-final finishes in 2002 and 2007. All time, Canada have posted a record of 15 wins, 11 draws, and 15 losses in 41 matches.

In 22 international matches since the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup‎, Canada’s record is eight wins, five draws, and six losses, including most recently a 1:1 draw with Scotland on 22 March 2017.

Tickets to the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup are available via concacaf.com. In Canada, fans can watch all of Canada’s matches on TSN. Fans can also follow the Canadian team across all of Canada Soccer’s digital channels.