Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies wins historic Canadian Athlete of the Year award
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies has capped a sensational 2020 by becoming the first soccer player in history to win the Lionel Conacher Award as The Canadian Press Male Athlete of the Year.
Davies, who turned 20 on 2 November 2020, surpassed all expectation in his first full campaign on European soil, excelling at left-back as Bayern won a Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League and DFB Cup treble.
He was recognised as the Bundesliga's 2019/20 Rookie of the Season, and also got his hands on the UEFA Super Cup and German equivalent, before being named Canadian Men's Player of the Year and earning a spot in the 2020 FIFA FIFPro World 11.
"It's been a fantastic year for Alphonso," said Canada head coach John Herdman.
"And the awards are thoroughly deserved. He’s doing things at the highest level in the world game.
“And he's Canadian, he's from Edmonton. I think for all of us, it's just something we can be proud of. And for those young players, it's that reminder that anything's possible, anything's possible for a Canadian."
Watch: Alphonso Davies - a star on and off the pitch
Davies, who was born in a Ghanaian refugee camp before moving to Canada aged five, received 35 of 67 votes by sports editors, writers, broadcasters across the country.
Previous winners of the Lionel Conacher Award include Canadian sporting greats Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Gordie Howe.
"A lot of great Canadian athletes have won it, so it's an honour to be the first soccer player to do so," Davies told The Canadian Press via email.
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