Canuck soccer star Davies welcomes being role model
MUNICH — Canadian soccer star Alphonso Davies says his message to young players is “just be themselves.”
“Every time they step on the field, play hard and know how to play with a smile on your face because, when you play with a smile on your face, that’s when you play your best,” he told a Bayern Munich video news conference Tuesday. “Don’t worry about what’s going to happen, just be in the moment, enjoy it.”
The 19-year-old from Edmonton said he welcomes being a role model to young kids and wants to put his platform to good use.
Davies joined AC Milan goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who like Davies came to Canada as a refugee, in a soccer video-game contest on the weekend to raise COVID-19 relief funds for the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees, a UN agency with the mandate to protect and help refugees. Asked about playing real games behind closed doors because of the global pandemic, Davies said: “If it happens, it’s just going to be different.”
“The fans are part of us but it’s for the safety of everyone, I guess. So I don’t really mind it,” he added.
Bundesliga teams are back training, under physical distancing conditions, and the league hopes to restart play in May.
Davies signed a new deal earlier this month that will keep the Canadian international with the German powerhouse through 2025.
A former winger, Davies says he is enjoying playing left back and doesn’t anticipate changing positions.
He said his German is “coming along” but will require a lot more lessons to perfect the language.
He said the player he has looked up to the most in his soccer career is Lionel Messi, with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo another top talent that he respects.