Alphonso Davies is living proof that dreams do come true.
The 19-year old's incredible story entered another chapter last night when he became the first Canadian to win the Champions League, playing a starring role in an all-conquering Bayern Munich side as they beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in Lisbon.
Simply put, Davies' journey to this point is nothing short of inspirational. Born to Liberian parents in a Ghanaian refugee camp after they fled a civil war, he moved to the freezing cold city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at the age of five.
Having excelled for local youth sides, by the age of 14 he had been scouted by Vancouver Whitecaps and a year later he was playing professionally in the USL for the Whitecaps second side, before going on to become the first player born in the 2000s to feature in the MLS when he made the rapid progression to the first-team squad.
Davies then became a full international with Canada faster than the time it takes him to complete a 100m sprint.
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And It didn't take long for elite European clubs to show interest. After two full seasons in the MLS, a 17-year old Davies joined Bayern in what was a MLS record transfer at the time.
In Germany, Davies has developed into one of the best left-backs in world football. With his marauding runs up and down the left flank, the "Bayern road-runner" made 43 appearances in his first full campaign as the Bavarian outfit lifted a memorable treble under Hans-Dieter Flick.
Last night, in the midst of getting soaked by his teammates in a post-match BT Sport interview, Davies was able to reflect on just how far he has come.
"Coming to Europe and winning the Champions League with a great club like Bayern is everything I can ask for," he said.
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"It shows the team I have around me, helping me every time I play; they play really well in the Champions League and being able to play here is amazing for me.
"My story, it just goes to show if you set your mind to it you can do anything. I'm happy to have the medal around my neck and the trophy by my side."
He also took to Twitter to send out a positive message that even if the odds are stacked against you, hard work pays off.
The phrase "Started from the bottom" feels particularly apt given it's a lyric from a fellow Canadian hero in Drake, who sent Davies wild by following him on Instagram last night.
Topics: Football News, Football, Alphonso Davies
