It appears that Alphonso DaviesB次元官网网址� goal against Croatia, the first for Canada at the menB次元官网网址檚 World Cup, left a mark in more than the Canada Soccer record book.

Mayhem ensued in SundayB次元官网网址檚 goal celebration.

B次元官网网址淲hen I headed it down and I ran to the corner flag, I looked to my left and I just saw all my teammates running towards me,B次元官网网址� Davies said Tuesday. B次元官网网址淵eah, it was a great feeling. WeB次元官网网址檝e waited for this moment for a long time and it finally came and we were happy.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲hen they all came around me, a lot of players were grabbing my jersey, pushing me, shoving me,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淚 had Liam Millar head-butt me at one point, he was so excited. We both looked at each other and started laughing. The moment was truly amazing with these guys.B次元官网网址�

Also back home. Not to mention in the stands.

Davies had his parents watching at Khalifa International Stadium, the latest stop on a well-documented journey that saw them flee the civil war in Liberia to Ghana, where Davies was born in a refugee camp, before finding safe haven in Canada.

B次元官网网址淎fter the first game (against Belgium) they told me how proud they are of me and when I scored the goal, my mother teared up a bit, seeing her son coming from a refugee camp, coming to Canada and being able to score in the worldB次元官网网址檚 biggest stage,B次元官网网址� said Davies.

B次元官网网址淢y parents are people of few words, they donB次元官网网址檛 really say too much. But it really showed on their face,B次元官网网址� he added.

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The 41st-ranked Canadians turned heads in a narrow 1-0 loss to No. 2 Belgium before Davies scored 68 seconds in against No. 12 Croatia, only to see the 2018 tournament runner-up rally with four straight goals for a 4-1 win that knocked the Canadians out of contention for the knockout round.

Now they wrap up tournament play Thursday against No. 22 Morocco.

Tuesday marked the first time Davies has spoken to media at the Canadian training facility since arriving in Doha on Nov. 18. He did an interview with TSN, the Canadian rights-holder, the next day but otherwise has limited his availability to brief post-match chats with rights-holders in the post-game mixed zone.

Davies explained that he didnB次元官网网址檛 speak after the Croatia game because, while happy with his goal, he didnB次元官网网址檛 want to be front and centre after a loss.

B次元官网网址淚 wanted to talk about the team, the team play. IB次元官网网址檓 happy to be able to score but at the end of the day we lost the game. And that was really what was on my mind.B次元官网网址�

Davies started off slowly Tuesday, choosing his words carefully. But he began to open up when he was asked if he was enjoying himself at the tournament.

B次元官网网址淵es, yes, IB次元官网网址檓 having fun,B次元官网网址� he said after a brief pause, his voice rising with enthusiasm. B次元官网网址淵ou dream about this ever since youB次元官网网址檙e young. And being on this stage, each and every time, I look back and I think to myself B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 at the World Cup.B次元官网网址� It puts a smile on my face.

B次元官网网址淎nd every time I play the game, itB次元官网网址檚 truly amazing. Each and every time I come to training, IB次元官网网址檓 living the dream and IB次元官网网址檓 happy about it.B次元官网网址�

The 22-year-old from Edmonton was then asked if he felt pressure in having 6.6 million followers on TikTok, 5.1 million on Instagram and 491,900 on Twitter watching him.

B次元官网网址淔or me l always try to be myself,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淓ach and every day how you see me is how I am, in public or in private. IB次元官网网址檓 the same guy who just wants to have fun, laugh at my friends, be a kid B次元官网网址� I tend not to think about how many people are watching me too much. I just try to be myself.B次元官网网址�

A kid perhaps, but one with a manager and his assistant watching from the back of the room. And a mega-bucks future.

Still, Davies was savvy enough to consult some of his more experienced teammates at Bayern Munich on how to handle the World Cup experience.

B次元官网网址淭he advice I got was a World Cup is a different beast,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e playing against the best players in each country. What I was told was just go out and play the game. Change nothing. DonB次元官网网址檛 let the moment get to you. Go out and play how you know how to play. Keep your head down. Work as hard as possible. And for me, it really worked.

B次元官网网址淓ach and every time I step on the pitch, I try to give my all for this country.B次元官网网址�

With purpose at the World Cup.

B次元官网网址淲e gained a lot of new supporters around the world,B次元官网网址� Davies said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of people thought that Canada wasnB次元官网网址檛 really a footballing country. Hopefully after this tournament, weB次元官网网址檝e changed a lot of minds.B次元官网网址�

While Davies has done most of his talking on the pitch, he has been a topic of conversation here.

Croatian forward Ivan Perisic, who spent the 2019-20 season with Bayern Munich on loan from Inter Milan, was asked about Davies prior to SundayB次元官网网址檚 game against Canada.

B次元官网网址淚t was really a pleasure playing with him,B次元官网网址� he said through an interpreter. B次元官网网址淗e is a miracle. HeB次元官网网址檚 fast B次元官网网址� the skyB次元官网网址檚 the limit. He can only get better.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址�-

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

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