Where I Come From Motivates Me To Play With Confidence and Positivity – Alphonso Davies
Oma Akatugba
Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies was named in the FIFA Best 11 last night. He was named in defence alongside Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Liverpool’s duo, Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. He found no words to describe his emotions while speaking to a press conference after he was announced in the best 11.
“My emotion is… right now I have no words that can explain my emotions, to be able to be put into the world 11 with all those players, with all those qualities of players, recognised as one of the best in the world is really amazing. Right now my feeling is through the roof, I don’t know how to express it. It’s truly an amazing feeling for me,” the Canadian international said. “It means a lot, those other guys you play against, those other guys you play with and then recognising that and able to be part of this team, this amazing team is truly a blessing and I thank them, everyone, that voted for me for this opportunity and I’m happy that I can be that player that they pick to be in this kind of team,” he said about being selected by other professionals.
Alphonso Davies was born to Liberian parents in Buduburam, a refugee camp in Ghana. His family moved to Canada when he was five and he played for local clubs before he was signed by Bayern Munich in 2018 from Vancouver Whitecaps FC for $22m, an MLS record but was allowed to complete the season in Canada before moving to Bayern Munich in 2019. He attributed his development to his mindset which he says comes from looking back to where he came from.
“For me, I think it’s my mindset, when I think back of where I come from, my family, it motivates me to go out on the pitch and play the way I know how to play, play with confidence and positivity, my teammates around me supporting me, the coaching staff, the entire club helps me out any time I need them, they make life easy off the pitch and it helps me perform on the pitch as well.”
Davies turned 20 in November and he believes he is living his football dreams and doing it at his age makes it more amazing. “I’d say I’m living my football dream right now, at the age of 19, I won many trophies with the team and individually as well and now being able to be put into the world 11 is very nice, anything I can think of or dream of about football especially at my age doing it so young is amazing and definitely the work doesn’t stop here, we keep going, we keep striving for more.” He did not single out any particular moment in a spectacular individual and club season as his highlight but says a collective of all achievements is his highlight. “I think if I look back at the season, my main highlight that sticks in my head despite my injury, everything that has happened from January till now, winning the Champions League, the League, the Pokal, winning all these trophies I think everything put together in 2020 is my highlight,” he said.
On how the team would perform on the pitch, Davies said: “Obviously it’s the world 11, best players in the world. If we’re a team we’d definitely win every single game I’d say.”
He describes the quality of his Bayern Munich teammates Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich who were also named in the Best 11,
“Joshua Kimmich is a young player as well, very vocal on the pitch, very amazing talent, technically he has a lot, his mentality to win, fight, fight and fight is amazing. “Robert Lewandowski, everything I can say about him has been said, one of the best strikers in the world, scoring goals for fun and winning every trophy there is. We’ve been winning everything, the mindset of this team is just always high, every time we step on the pitch, it’s a new day, it’s a new game, even with this quality of players they all have the same mindset and it’s why we’re so successful.” His start to a new season has been disturbed by an injury he picked up in October and only just returned to action this December. He looks forward to continuing his good performances and he highlights what to expect of him. “Definitely the same performance but a lot better, I still have time to develop more and more with the players I’m surrounded by, they help keep out every day to be my best. Definitely every time I step on the pitch I give my all,” he concluded
