Alphonso Davies named new Canada Soccer captain

The most recognizable active player for many soccer fans in Canada will now officially be wearing the armband full-time.

Today, the men’s national team announced that 23-year-old Alphonso Davies will be the team’s new captain, per a Canada Soccer release ahead of Copa America.

Meanwhile, Stephen Eustaquio will fill the duties of vice captain.

“Alphonso is a young and experienced professional who has all the tools to be an excellent captain. He has been in the spotlight from a young age and handled it very well. I know that he is up to the challenge of taking on a more expanded role with more responsibility. Stephen is also a great leader who has already formed a partnership with Alphonso, along with the leadership council, that will lead us into a home FIFA World Cup in 2026,” said head coach Jesse Marsch about the announcement.

Davies replaces goalkeeper Milan Borjan as the team’s full-time captain, who was left out of the Copa America squad. Meanwhile, longtime Canadian captain Atiba Hutchinson announced his retirement from the international team and professional football last summer.

Canada is a co-host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which guarantees them an automatic spot in the tournament. In 2022, they qualified for the men’s tournament for the first time in 1986, but were held without a point as they dropped all three group stage games.

Earlier this year, they also qualified for Copa America, taking place this summer across 14 American cities. It’s a big test for the squad, who face off against Lionel Messi and defending World Cup champions Argentina starting this Thursday night.

Davies is a natural selection for the role, having been one of the most accomplished soccer players Canada has ever produced. During his time at Bayern Munich (after completing a transfer from the Vancouver Whitecaps back in 2018), Davies has won five Bundesliga titles as well as the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League and 2020 FIFA Club World Cup.

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