ALPHONSO DAVIES
(Canada)
About to take part in their first World Cup in 36 years, Canada continue to rely heavily on players with a Vancouver connection. Back in 1986, the last time the Maple Leafs reached the FIFA main event, long-serving Vancouver Whitecaps servant Bob Lenarduzzi was the team’s trusty right-back and now, in a distinct Pacific remake – albeit left-footed and on the other flank – the wingback berth is splendidly occupied by skilful Bayern Munich speedster “Phonzy” Davies, who started his professional career with the Caps only six years ago.
The Bundesliga-based Davies, who will only turn 22 a couple of weeks before the finals, normally plays left-back for Bayern. However, Canada coach John Herdman prefers his most important asset to run free, ostensibly lining up on the left side of midfield but granted total licence to roam with menace in attacking areas.
“Davies is a once in a generation player,” said Herdman earlier this summer. “He’s a special player. Alphonso can make a difference in many roles: as a number ten, a winger, a wing-back and even up front. He’s just got that ability. He has the speed, the power and is very intelligent. He is committed to his craft.”
In the absence of the mercurial Davies, there would simply be no Canadian renaissance. Since making his full debut for the Canucks at the age of just 16, he has compiled numbers to die for: 12 goals in 32 appearances and an incredible16 assists. In13 World Cup 2022 qualifiers, he scored five times and created a further eight as the Canadians topped their qualifying table ahead of regional heavyweights United States and Mexico.
Now fully fit again after missing three months last season with a COVID-related heart condition, Davies – born to Liberian parents in a Ghanaian refugee camp before the family emigrated to Canada – is a young man with a social conscience. He is an ambassador for a United Nations foundation dealing with displaced people and has vowed to donate his earnings from the Qatar World Cup to charity.
MICHAEL ESTRADA
(Ecuador)
Ecuador’s top scorer in World Cup qualification with six goals, notably on target in big wins over Uruguay and Colombia (4-2 and 6-1 respectively). A national teamer for the past five years, he currently plays his club football at Cruz Azul in Mexico, on loan from Toluca, having spent the first half of 2022 with DC United in MLS.
ANTHONY CONTRERAS
(Costa Rica)
Lively centre-forward, 22, whose youthful status stands in marked contrast to the many veterans in the Costa Rican camp. Came on very strong in the final rounds of qualification, scoring in a 2-1 win over El Salvador and the 2-0 victory at home to the USA. His recent national team emergence has surprised the vast majority of Costa Rican pundits.
HARRY KANE
(England)
In the spectacle-packed annals of World Cup finals, no marksman has ever claimed two Golden Boots, the award for the tournament’s top scorer. The goal-hungry Germans Gerd Muller, Miroslav Klose and Thomas Muller all came tantalisingly close to this particular double. The Brazilian Ronaldo and Gary Lineker of England were not far away either. So what are the chances of England skipper Kane successfully defending his 2018 Golden Boot, when he amassed a six-goal haul in Russia?
Lightning may well strike twice for the Tottenham ace. He has the most enviable of international strike-rates (50 goals in his first 73 games), has scored ten goals in England’s last two major tournaments (the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020) and accumulated no fewer than12 goals in qualification for Qatar. Only one other England hitman has proved more prolific – Wayne Rooney with 53 – and it would take a cataclysmic turn of events for Kane not to soon take sole possession of the top spot. Indeed, by the time you’re reading this he may already have done.
Even when England are not firing on all cylinders offensively, Kane has that happy knack of surviving off scraps. Never one to be deterred, he makes the same clever off-the-ball runs in stoppage-time as he did in the first minute and always can be relied upon to locate pockets of space in the box. He is wily, full of endeavour and can hit the target every which way.
“He’s our most important player, there’s no doubt about that,” gushed England manager Gareth Southgate last year. “You’ve only got to look at his goalscoring record with us to see his importance to the team. He’s fundamental, not only with the goals he scores but the build-up play and everything else he brings.”
Would the 29-year-old striker trade in all his goalscoring achievements and individual awards thus far, including three Premier League Golden Boots, for a World Cup title, the ultimate of team accolades? You bet he
