Dazzling Davies going the extra smile

Alphonso Davies cracks a broad smile when the conversation turns to his idol, Lionel Messi.

"He is one of the world's best, and it is a pleasure for every sportsman to see him play," the ebullient Bayern Munich youngster enthused about the Barcelona icon in a recent interview with Xinhua.

But while Messi's magic may have been a big influence on Davies over the years, these days the input of teammate David Alaba is more important.

Bayern stalwart Alaba made way for Davies at leftback to move to the center of defense, and has helped his 19-year-old Canadian understudy with the transition to the new position.

"It is of substantial help for every youngster to have an experienced performer like him (Alaba) around. He is one of the best leftbacks in the world," said Davies, who had been playing as a winger.

"I guess my future is the one of a leftback."

Most observers would agree after Davies excelled off the bench this season at leftback. For a rookie accustomed to enjoying more freedom further up the pitch, he deserves huge credit for making the switch so seamlessly.

Davies, though, has had to quickly adapt to new situations and environments since he was a kid.

Born and raised in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled the Second Liberian Civil War, Davies and his family moved to Canada when he was 5.

His soccer talent quickly became apparent in his adopted home, with Bayern snapping up the teenager from the Vancouver Whitecaps in January 2019 for a reported 19 million euros ($21 million).

Now he is valued at around 50 million euros, and last month signed a new Bayern contract that ties him to the club until 2025.

One of Davies' biggest assets is his pace, with the teenager registering a top speed of 35.3 km/h to earn the nickname "Usain" from teammates, in reference to sprint legend Bolt.

Davies is a big advocate of trying out different sports as a way of improving overall athleticism but also warns youngsters not to neglect their academic education.

"I benefitted a lot from other sports for my football career as it turned out to be an advantage to me multi-tasking," he said.

"Always enjoy every training and every game. And don't forget to always enter the training ground or pitch with a smile on your face.

"I enjoyed every moment being in school as football doesn't last forever, so you need an education long term."

While his African childhood is now a distant memory, Davies' mom still refers to her son as her "refugee baby".

"I am thankful to my parents as they had no easy life. If they hadn't dared to leave Africa, I wouldn't have made my way in professional football," he said.

"She always told me to be a good boy and respect people."

It's a philosophy Davies appears to still live by. These days he is a strong supporter of the UN Refugee Agency's COVID-19 response.

The work is keeping him busy during the Bundesliga's virus-enforced shutdown, with Davies showing off his gaming skills at e-sports events to raise money for charity projects.

"I want to spread the word to everyone to do as much as possible to help," he said.

Davies shot to global attention in February when he helped Bayern crush Chelsea 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

He admits his dad is a Chelsea fan because of the Blues' former Ivorian striker Didier Drogba. "There was always a Chelsea game on when I was growing up," recalled Davies.

As for when the postponed second leg of that Chelsea tie might be played, Davies is preparing himself for a behind-closed-doors showdown as European leagues eye a return to action this summer without spectators in the stands.

"It is not an ideal situation as fans creating atmosphere has always been a vital part of football," he said.

As well as going for a sixth Champions League/European Cup crown, Bayern will also hope to claim its 30th German top-flight title when the action resumes. The Bavarians lead second-place Borussia Dortmund in the standings by four points with nine games left.

Davies' ambitions, though, extend beyond the pitch.

"I eventually want to be an actor. I like entertaining people," he said.

That doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon as long Davies can resume the action with his preshutdown form and continue to play with a smile on his face.