Alphonso Davies: Bayern star talks NFTs, TikTok, early success and the future

Fans clearly enjoy Davies’ satirical brand of humor.

Despite it being a technically challenging sketch to produce, he says it’s his favorite one he’s created so far.

“That took almost 45 minutes to make because I had to change different outfits and stuff like that, get the words right,” he says. “That was fun to make. I got a lot of good positive feedback from that video.”

He hopes to publish content that entertains his audience, irrespective of whether they follow him for his football achievements, or for his sense of humor. “It keeps me busy and it doesn’t just show Alphonso Davies the footballer, it shows Alphonso Davies the person as well.”

“[It] shows them that I have a life outside of football.”

Dealing with hate

But if Davies enjoys his social media presence because it gives him the opportunity to connect with fans, he’s also experienced the peril of existing as a Black man in the spotlight.

In December 2020, he and his girlfriend — Paris Saint-Germain forward Jordyn Huitema — revealed they had received racist abuse after sharing a picture of themselves on holiday in Ibiza in August.

Bayern president Herbert Hainer leaped to the couple’s defense at the time.

“Football has the power to connect people. As FC Bayern, we always want to contribute to this,” Hainer added.

Davies continues to receive hate comments, but he remains unfazed. “There’s a lot of people out there that you’re going to get hate from, not everybody’s going to love you,” he says. “I was raised around good people […] they kept me strong.”

“Some people have some ugly stuff to say, but I know they’re just behind a screen typing. It doesn’t really affect me.”

Eliminating sustained racist abuse online is something the sport’s governing bodies don’t yet have a handle on.

“The things that happened with Marcus Rashford after the Europa League final, it was ugly to see,” Davies says. “We’re footballers, but we’re humans as well. We breathe, sleep, eat like everyone else.”

“I think whichever players are getting this hate, they handle it well […] It’s not easy to see, it’s very difficult.”

“Ever since I was little, I knew that people have different ideas, different opinions on everything,” he adds.

“If you stay true to yourself, I don’t think any of those can affect you.”

Giving back

Before releasing each design, Davies rallied his online followers with a social campaign, which allowed fans to vote on each aspect of the collection’s designs.

“It was a great way for some artists to show their work,” he says. “Digital art is something different […] I thought it was a cool idea to get involved.”

Davies’ foray into the world of digital art and cryptocurrency is all for a good cause: 20% of the funds will be donated to multiple charities to help Palestinians.

“I have people close to my heart that are from that country. I’ve seen what’s going on and I think it was a quick decision for me to support them,” he says.

“Everything that’s going on there, I think everyone deserves to get respected […] and treated with dignity.”

Advocating for displaced people across the world is an issue that he is deeply affected by. The 20-year-old might be the face of Canadian soccer, but he emerged from humble beginnings. Davies was born in a Ghanaian refugee camp to Liberian parents who were fleeing their country’s civil war.

“I was in a refugee camp, people helped us, and I just want to give back to them,” he says. “I think it’s a good thing to do.”

Migrating to Canada

At the age of five, Davies left Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana with his parents and moved to start a new life in Edmonton, Canada.

“When my parents came to Canada, they told me some stories about their time in Ghana. It’s sad, it was a tough time and it was hard,” he says. “Growing up listening to these stories, I just want to make a better life for my family.”

His mother and father worked long hours to make ends meet. Davies himself helped raise his two younger siblings while attending Mother Teresa Catholic School, where his talents were first spotted.

He subsequently joined St. Nicholas Soccer Academy, and by the age of 14, he was enrolled in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ residency program — a development scheme that would see him become the first player born in the 2000s to play in the MLS.

Though he doesn’t have many memories of his life in Ghana, looking back, he says his parents’ sacrifice fuels his ambition and sense of purpose. “It’s a story that is part of me, and looking back, I can’t believe we made it out, which was amazing.”

“I remember how hard they [parents] worked to free their family. Every time I step on the pitch, it’s for them.”

Early success at Bayern

Since joining Bayern in the 2018 January transfer window, Davies has had incredible success with the club.

But when he arrived at the club, he was overwhelmed by its legendary starting lineup and folkloric history.

He describes his first time walking into the locker room, looking at his new teammates’ pictures on the wall, as an “incredible” experience.

“Words can’t really explain it […] In my mind, I was thinking there’s no way these are the real people,” he says. “And then Robben walks in the room, and it’s a real guy, it’s not a cartoon.”

“[I] shook his hand and he introduced himself, very polite, humble guy, it was amazing,” he adds. “Everything I’ve accomplished, it’s been amazing […] when I got my opportunity, I told myself, ‘Take your opportunity,’ and I took it.”

He especially looks up to ex-teammate David Alaba, who has joined Real Madrid after over 10 years at the Bavarian club. “I was very excited to meet David Alaba because obviously when we were little, he was a role model for most of the kids back home.”

‘I’m excited for the future’

“We know he’s a good coach coming in. He has new ideas, new style of play,” he says. “We know he’s on the younger side of the coaching world, but that doesn’t matter […] he’s going to come in and really bring his wisdom and what he knows to the football club.”

Despite a changing of the guard, Davies’ aspirations for the club remain the same, with the intention of winning the Champions League in 2022 and clinching six trophies in one season.

“We know it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be really difficult. But I feel like with the team, we can do it again.”

“My time is not done with Bayern. I still have a lot more years there and a lot more trophies to win, so I’m excited for the future.”

Davies has since returned to training. Bayern’s first Bundesliga game is against Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday, August 13.