We all knew Alphonso Davies had the potential to be good.
I don’t think anyone, including Bayern Munich, thought he’d become one of the best left backs in the world by the time he was 19 years old.
Davies, an MLS product and Canadian national team member, announced himself loudly to the soccer world on Friday during the second half of Bayern Munich’s 8-2 thrashing of Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinal.
When eight goals are scored against Lionel Messi and Barca, it’s tough to single one out and not just let the collective weirdness wash over you. But Davies’ set up of Joshua Kimmich did stand out, as it was a moment that captured the sum total of Davies’ gifts, his startling development, and his incredible swagger.
A reminder, again, before we watch this highlight: Alphonso Davies is 19 years old.
First, watch this thing.
Now, some scattered thoughts.
1. Davies beats two guys before he even gets to Nelson Semedo
Because the official CBS Sports Twitter account only shared the last few seconds of this highlight, and because the undressing of Semedo was so purely violent, a lot of people missed or forgot the fact that Davies had work to do before he even got to his victim. He picks up a loose ball and beats two defenders before he even gets the isolation he wants.
2. Davies had been waiting to isolate Semedo
With Bayern running rampant at this point, Davies had been creeping up the field, and looked eager to take someone on. Still, he had restrained himself up to that point, making smart passes and overlaps and resisting the urge to just beat everyone with his speed. When he got the isolation on Semedo, he no longer had to resist the urge. It was one-on-one, an approved time to go at a man. And good lord did he go at him.;
3. That’s a hell of a take-on from a left back
RIP Nelson Semedo. A 19-year-old left back just channeled Ronaldhino and shuffled you off this mortal coil. You will be missed.
4. Davies has three chances to cross the ball … but he doesn’t
Davies successfully beats Semedo, who is now unfortunately a ghost, but his work wasn’t done there. A lot of players, especially in a game as immense as this, will simply beat their man and rocket in a cross and hope a striker gets on the end of it. Davies picks his head up, but he doesn’t like what he sees. So he uses his strength to ward off Zombie Semedo and keeps evaluating his options. While running at full speed. Against Barcelona. At 19. This is … flabbergasting.
5. He’s got one more chance to cross the ball, but doesn’t!
Davies keeps going, keeps marauding into the six yard box, and finally it looks like he’s going to play a ball in … but AGAIN he holds. He doesn’t make the pass, which baits the Barcelona defenders to jump at it anyway, and that last final touch opens up the lane to Kimmich.
6. The final ball is perfect
After all that, he puts the ball on a platter for Kimmich, who after the game said he was embarrassed to celebrate because he did nothing to make the goal happen. It was all Davies, and it was all perfect.
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