In the second installment of this year’s Q&A series, we catch up with Alphonso Davies after the 17-year-old made headlines last weekend with a spectacular end-to-end effort vs. Vegas.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a member of this club?
A: It’s an honour to be with Vancouver. It’s a great club, a great city. Just playing here over the few years, I’ve really enjoyed my time.
Q: Who inspires you?
A: From a soccer aspect, probably Messi. I look up to him. I actually try to watch videos of him before games. Also, my parents motivate me to go out there and play my game every time I step on the field.
Q: What is it about Messi that makes you such a big fan?
A: I like his playing style, his dribbling, passing, shooting. Just everything about him. The way he carries himself on the field, he doesn’t cry, he doesn’t whine, he doesn’t dive. He’s just a great role model.
Q: There’s no debate for you? Ronaldo vs. Messi?
A: No, not really. Messi all the way.
Q: What’s your most vivid memory from childhood?
A: Hmm.
Q: It’s not that long ago.
A: Probably joining my first soccer team, Edmonton Internationals. I went for a tryout and basically everyone who was there made the team (laughs). That’s how I started.
Q: Tell us more about Edmonton.
A: We’re known for having the biggest mall in North America. It’s cold. I wouldn’t advise anyone to go there in the winter. It’s a beautiful city in the summer. I enjoy going back and seeing my family.
Q: Do you consider yourself an extrovert or introvert?
A: I would say extrovert. Depending on the situation and my mood, but usually extrovert.
Q: What’s your favourite TV show?
A: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. It’s funny. I like watching Will Smith act. It’s just entertaining to watch.
Q: What’s your favourite holiday?
A: Most people would say Christmas, but I think I have to go with Thanksgiving.
Q: Just to be different?
A: That, and also there’s a lot of food. I know there’s a lot of food at Christmas, but Thanksgiving is strictly a lot of food.
Q: What’s your favourite sports team?
A: Barcelona. Partly because of Messi, but as a whole team, I just like watching them play. They have some really great players on that team.
Q: What’s on your bucket list?
A: Probably go to Bora-Bora. I searched it up on the internet one day, not sure what I was doing, and I just saw it. So I started going through pictures and thought “whoa,” this is a cool place to go. Put that on my bucket list.
Q: What gets you fired up?
Probably music. Listening to upbeat, hyper music gets me fired up for games or anything I’m doing.
Q: When’s the last time you cried?
Actually, I’m watching Orange Is The New Black. There’s this one scene where one of the characters dies, and then they were talking about, they were crying. I was already into it, I started to tear up a little bit, not too much. Just a little bit … not like fully.
