Alphonso Davies has been voted the Canadian Player of the Year after a standout season with Canada’s national team and another breakout season with Vancouver Whitecaps.
The 18-year-old helped Canada climb to its current third-place position in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying and within a point of reaching this summer’s Gold Cup and Nations League Group A.
Davies, of Edmonton, Alta., was honoured from a vote shared by Canadian media and coaches. Davies shared the 2018 Canadian Players of the Year award with co-winner Christine Sinclair.
“He has been a standout performer for club and country and that is just a consistent reality now for Alphonso Davies,” said Canadian men’s coach John Herdman. “For club, he picked up many an accolade, culminating with what looks like one of the biggest signings our country has ever seen.
“For Canada, every time he has been asked to take a responsibility and support the team, even playing out of position, he has shown his character. He is just a humble guy who loves the game and will do whatever it takes to be successful.”
In 2018, Davies won Vancouver Whitecaps FC Player of the Year honours after leading the league in duels won (258) and setting a record for dribbles completed (123). He scored eight goals, co-led the team with 11 assists (youngest player in league history to record double digit assists), was selected to the MLS All-Star Game, and was named MLS’s best prospect in their 22 Under 22 Ranking.
In July, Davies’ rights were transferred to Bayern Munich on an MLS-record transfer fee that could total more than $22-million US, with Davies joining the German champions in late November after he turned 18 years old.
At the international level, his four assists in three matches were the second-most in a single season for Canada since 2000. He played in all 270 minutes of CONCACAF Nations League qualifying, fired six shots and completed 95% of his team-best 151 attempted passes.
With one match remaining in 2018-19 Nations League Qualifying, Canada sits third amongst 34 nations with the fourth and decisive match scheduled for March 24 in Vancouver at BC Place against French Guiana. Canada must finish amongst the top-six nations to qualify for both the 2019 Gold Cup and Nations League Group A.