12.09.2018 - 15:30 | Source: Transfermarkt.co.uk | Reading Time: 5 mins

TM-Story

Davies, David & Co: new promising talents for the growing football nation Canada

Thinking of Canada, you maybe picture maple leafs, hockey or bears fishing salmon. What the north-american country with a population of 36 million people doesn’t stand for are talented footballers. There have been players like Tomasz Radzinski, Paul Stalteri or Junior Hoilett, who performed in the English Premier League, but if you’re looking for a real „star“, you wouldn‘t find one so far.

Though, that can change in the nearest future. A lot of hope is set on Alphonso Davies (photo), the 17 years old winger of the Vancouver Whitecaps, who will join the German champions FC Bayern Munich in winter in a deal worth 9 million Pounds. But there are some other prospects too, who have the capability to start a turnaround in Canadian football. In the current squad of the National Team are promising youngsters like Alessandro Busti (18, Juventus FC), Zachary Brault-Guillard (19, Olympique Lyon) or Liam Millar (18, Liverpool FC).

While these talents are still playing in the reserve squads of their clubs, another 18-year-old striker became the shootingstar of Belgian Jupiler Pro League in the last weeks: Jonathan David of KAA Gent needed only 242 minutes to mark 6 goals in the league and the Europa League Qualification.

Stats J. David Attacking Midfield KAA Gent Career stats –

All competitions Games 83 Goals 37 Assists 15

The young forward is playing for the club since January and scored already a lot of goals in his first six months, when he played for the reserve team. Before he moved to Europe, he had other opportunities, as his agent Nick Mavromaras explains to transfermarkt.co.uk: „Jonathan always had a wish to kick off his professional career in Europe. There was lots of interest in the MLS, specifically from the Vancouver Whitecaps, but Jonathan's wish was to be developed in Europe. Having seen him very early on his career, I realised he would have the level and potential to be a difference maker in Europe. Red Bull Salzburg, Stuttgart and KAA Gent were all interested to bring him in a trial. He appeared in all three and the best feel was with KAA Gent in Belgium.“

At the moment, it seems his feeling wasn’t the worst. His contract, initially dated until June 2019, was already extended until 2022 and his market value increased from 90.000 pounds to 1.8 millions.

Market Value J. David Attacking Midfield £ 22.50 m 22.50

„Canada has lots of hidden talented players“, Mavromaras believes. He knows the Canadian football market for years, and he has another player in europe in his portfolio with Cyle Larin from Besiktas JK. One of the reasons, why some young talents aren’t scouted, are the lack of professional clubs in the country, the agent believes. There are only five at the moment. A talent like David played for the nonprofessional side Ottawa Internationals before he moved to Europe.

„An exciting moment for the country is the new professional leagues launch in April 2019. The Canadian Premier League kicks off with 8 professional clubs across the country. This will allow Canada to support their players and not only rely on Major League Soccer and United Soccer League from USA. In every successful football nation, there is a country with their own domestic league, playing domestic players and developing youth“, says Mavromaras.

He sees a lot of potential, that the interest in football will rise in the future. „Football or soccer isn‘t the most popular sports in the country, as it is hockey, but it is the most played sports across the country. Over one million kids are subscribed in soccer teams across the country. Football is growing year by year in Canada. Still needs work, but when people see the massive success stories of young Canadian footballers, they feel like their kids can be one of them as well. They don't see it as such a far dream. And this is what the country needs. Kids to be inspired in order to help the country continue to develop top players and better the National Team.“

The achievements of Canadian football currently lie far in the past. Despite the rather weaker competition in North and Central America compared to other contintents, the second largest country in the world participated in a world cup in 1986 for the last time. It was also the first participation.

That’s the main reason, believes agent Mavromaras, why „soccer does not have a massive culture in Canada“. But this could change in the next years. The country will host the World Cup in 2026 together with the USA and Mexico. „I think as it gets closer people will realise it more. It will give the urge for young players to start playing the game or continue to play the game with dreams to achieve the high level because they will see the best nations in the world right in front of them. Therefore, this upcoming 2026 WC will help build the culture and the sport will continue to grow to urge the young kids to kick off playing.“

But the National Team has to deliver too, he says. „At the moment, with the likes of Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Alphonso Davies we are looking at three very young players with tremendous amount of potential and upside. All three are playing in great European clubs and this is something we haven't seen in a very long time. We hope this will inspire more Canadians to continue working and dreaming to play in the best clubs in the world. The years ahead for Canadian Soccer are exciting.“

With these youngsters the status of Canadian players has increased already, the agent knows. „As I am often in Europe, always discussing with European clubs about the next upcoming player, I have been asked to keep a close eye out for them for the next big talent. They have realised Canada is a growing market but also the USA as well. Once our agency presents a Canadian player, it is far more respected now than it was in the past.“

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