Latest news with #AlphonsoDavies
New York Times
a day ago
- General
- New York Times
Canada names 26-player Gold Cup squad: Takeaways as Jonathan David included
Canada has named its 26-player squad for this summer's Gold Cup tournament. Jonathan David, on the cusp of a career-altering move with many top European clubs waiting to pounce, was named to his first Gold Cup squad since 2019. Other European-based players on the team include Tajon Buchanan, Stephen Eustaquio and Alistair Johnston. As Marsch chose the 26 players to represent Canada at the Gold Cup, he clearly did so with one prevailing thought: who are the players that will give Canada the best chance to win their first trophy since 2000? The Gold Cup is held every two years and features the best teams from Concacaf but doesn't always draw the best players from each national team. The Gold Cup comes at the end of long European seasons. Many players opt for rest and recovery instead of partaking in a tournament often filled with domestic and MLS-based players. Canada's 2023 Gold Cup squad, for example, was missing out on the likes of European-based stars including Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Stephen Eustaquio and Tajon Buchanan. Advertisement Yet with a little over one year to go before the World Cup and Canada riding a wave of internal belief that winning a trophy would elevate their game, Marsch has secured buy-in from some of his top players on the Gold Cup. He might be able to boast arguably the most star-studded roster throughout the entire tournament. Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau (Portland Timbers), Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United), Tom McGill (Brighton & Hove Albion). Defenders: Sam Adekugbe (Vancouver Whitecaps), Derek Cornelius (Olympic Marseille), Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham), Jamie Knight-Lebel (Crewe Alexandra), Richie Laryea (Toronto), Alistair Johnston (Celtic FC), Kamal Miller (Portland Timbers), Niko Sigur (Hadjuk Split), Joel Waterman (Montreal). Midfielders: Ali Ahmed (Vancouver Whitecaps), Tajon Buchanan (Villareal CF), Mathieu Choiniere (Grasshopper), Stephen Eustaquio (Porto), Ismael Kone (Rennes), Jayden Nelson (Vancouver Whitecaps), Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Nathan Saliba (CF Montreal), Jacob Shaffelburg (Nashville). Forwards: Jonathan David (Lille), Promise David (Union Saint-Gilloise), Daniel Jebbison (AFC Bournemouth), Cyle Larin (Mallorca), Tani Oluwaseyi (Minnesota United). 'We have a great group and if you ask any one of them, they want to be a part of (the Gold Cup),' Cyle Larin, who plays his club soccer in La Liga with Mallorca, told The Athletic. 'Even the European-based guys, they're playing all season and coming to the national team. It's important for us to keep building.' Considering it will be under one year from when Canada kicks off the Gold Cup until the start of their 2026 World Cup, this roster is a clear look at what type of team Marsch could bring to the World Cup with David, Buchanan, Eustaquio and Johnston all included. Alphonso Davies and Moise Bombito, both locks for the 2026 World Cup roster, are the only key players missing from the Gold Cup squad. Davies tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee in March, while Bombito is recovering from wrist surgery. Advertisement Marsch and his staff made just four changes from the team he brought to Halifax and Toronto for a June training camp and friendlies against Ukraine and Ivory Coast. Canada will play against Honduras, Curacao and El Salvador in Group B. Their Gold Cup begins June 17 in Vancouver before moving to Houston for their final two group-stage matches. Mauricio Pochettino's United States' Gold Cup squad is missing several key players, some of whom made the decision, along with U.S. Soccer, to prioritize rest after their club seasons. And while it's still unclear whether David will play in the Gold Cup (A summer transfer to a team playing in the Club World Cup is not unlikely), the buy-in that Marsch got from his players to play in a tournament they normally would not is impressive. The 2023 Gold Cup squad featured 11 European-based players. There are 14 European-based players in this Canada squad, including most of their stars. There is a clear understanding from some of Canada's European-based players on the importance of winning a trophy before the World Cup. They're treating this tournament with newfound urgency. 'The World Cup is next year and we're not going to be together for that long. We have a couple of camps towards the World Cup, but this is a big tournament. This is probably when we're going to spend the most time together,' Eustaquio said. Is Marsch's Gold Cup squad an indication of who he wants to bring to the World Cup? After all, there are no teenaged players vying for their first taste of international experience at the Gold Cup. The squad is filled with players Marsch trusts. As such, he seems to be using the Gold Cup as his last trial run before the World Cup. He's going to want to see how this group gels in a tournament environment. Advertisement 'I feel that us as a team, we've grown so much that we feel that we're really close to winning a trophy. This is the last opportunity before the World Cup that we have to win (a trophy),' Eustaquio said. Davies and Bombito are locks for the World Cup roster, which means two players on the Gold Cup roster will come out. But otherwise, it's difficult to make a strong case that any players not in this Gold Cup roster deserve to be in the 2026 roster. After a year on the job, Marsch's vision for his team is certainly coming into focus. The Gold Cup presents the last chance in a tournament setting for Canadian players to solidify their spots in Marsch's preferred World Cup starting XI. Cyle Larin has long been part of a forward partnership with David. But Larin's form and playing time have dipped, which has opened the door for three young forwards to vie for a starting spot. Out of Daniel Jebbison, Promise David and Tani Oluwaseyi, Marsch will invariably lean on one or two of those players to push for Larin's starting job. Who Marsch brings first off the bench and how they respond to Marsch's tactical demands will reveal plenty about who could line up alongside Jonathan David to start the 2026 World Cup squad. In the middle of the park, look for Marsch to lean on Nathan Saliba to challenge Ismael Kone for the latter's starting spot. Marsch sees genuine potential in Saliba's ball-playing abilities, while Kone has struggled to put his stamp on performances for Canada as of late. When you add in Eustaquio missing Gold Cup games to play for Porto in the Club World Cup, Saliba may never get a better chance to make good on his potential for Canada ahead of 2026. Finally, Marsch has said that Johnston will be joining Canada 'at some point' in the Gold Cup. With a reduced role, this summer will be the time for 21-year-old Niko Sigur to showcase that he's ready to start games for Canada. Expect him to be leaned on the right back position. 'I think I'm going to have some more responsibility, especially since Alistair's not here. And then obviously with (Stephen Eustaquio) going away as well, so I'm not sure where exactly I'm gonna play for sure, but I'm ready for a bigger role,' Sigur said. (Top image:)
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Ivory Coast's Elephants look forward to facing Canada, New Zealand in Toronto
Ivory Coast 's coach Emerse Fae gives instructions to his players during the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) TORONTO — Ask Ivory Coast soccer coach Emerse Fae about Canada and he is quick to praise — and reel off names. 'I like this team because the Canada team has very good players — good players like Jonathan David, like (Cyle) Larin, a good striker. Alphonso Davies, (Derek) Cornelius, (Moise) Bombito from Nice. (Ismael) Kone from Rennes,' Fae said from France. 'So it will be a good team with good organization, a good attacking team. A good challenge for Ivory Coast to play and to see how the team is one year before the World Cup.' Fae is bringing firepower of his own to the inaugural Canadian Shield Tournament, where the 41st-ranked Ivorians face No. 86 New Zealand on Saturday after No. 30 Canada plays No. 25 Ukraine in the early game at Toronto's BMO Field. Ivory Coast and Canada, which will be without the injured Davies, then meet June 10 after New Zealand plays Ukraine. Canada has never faced Ivory Coast before and has played Ukraine just once, a 2-2 draw in Kyiv in an October 2010 friendly. The Ivory Coast roster draws on players from clubs in Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. Fae's squad includes winger Amad Diallo, who joined Manchester United in January 2021 at the age of 18 in a package worth 37.2 million pounds ($69 million) from Italy's Atalanta. Midfielder Franck Kessié, formerly of AC Milan and Barcelona, plays for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro league while defender Odilon Kossounou is currently with Atalanta, on loan from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, and forward Nicolas Pépé, formerly with England's Arsenal, plays for Spain's Villarreal. Diallo made headlines recently after a photo showing him apparently making an obscene gesture to fans during a Manchester United tour to Asia. He later said he was reacting to 'insulting words directed at my mother.' At 5-0-1, the Ivorians lead their 2026 World Cup qualifying group by one point over Gabon (5-1-0). Group F also includes Burundi, Kenya, Gambia and the Seychelles. The group winner qualifies for the World Cup with the runner-up moving to the second round of qualifying. 'I'm happy with the way that we are winning,' said Fae. 'Even if I expect more quality from the team. Because we have many good players who play in the best clubs in Europe … Even when we didn't play well, we won. It's a good thing to be able to win the game, but we have to improve the way we play.' After Toronto, Ivory Coast plays its four remaining World Cup qualifiers — against No. 140 Burundi, No. 79 Gabon, the 203rd-ranked Seychelles and No. 111 Kenya — in September-October. The team then shifts its focus to defending its African Cup of Nations title in December in Morocco, where Ivory Coast has been drawn with No. 50 Cameroon, Gabon and No. 96 Mozambique in Group F. The Ivorians posted a pair of 1-0 wins in March, defeating No. 126 Gambia and Burundi in World Cup qualifying play. Ivory Coast appeared at the World Cup in 2006, 2010 and 2014, failing to advance to the knockout round after finishing third in its group each time. It missed out on the 2018 tournament in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. Fae expects Ivory Coast to build on it 2023 Africa Cup of Nations title by qualifying for the World Cup while also pointing to the expanded 48-team FIFA field. Nine African teams take part in the 2026 soccer showcase, with a shot at a 10th side via the FIFA Playoff Tournament. 'It would be a shame for our country not to be qualifying for the next World Cup,' said Fae. Football is huge back home, so there is pressure to succeed. Fae also knows that winning will help more Ivory Coast players earn contracts to further their development abroad. Ivory Coast is ranked fifth in Africa, behind No. 12 Morocco, No. 19 Senegal, No. 32 Egypt and No. 36 Algeria — after jumping five places in the latest FIFA numbers. It reached No. 12 in early 2013. Born in Nantes, Fae was a French youth international and won the Under-17 World Championship in 2001 — beating Nigeria in the final. He played for his hometown club before switching his international allegiance to Ivory Coast, the land of his parents, in 2005. He went on to play for Reading, then in England's Premier League, and Nice before he retiring in 2012. Fae coached Nice's youth teams and the reserve side of French Ligue 1 club Clermont before being appointed as Jean-Louis Gasset's assistant with Ivory Coast in May 2022. Gasset was fired midway through the 2023 Africa Cup, after a record 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, with Fae named interim head coach. The Ivorians advanced as the last of the four best third-placed teams and Fae rallied the team to wins over defending champion Senegal, Mali, DR Congo and Nigeria, in the final. That earned Fae Confederation of African Football (CAF) Coach of the Year honours in 2024. Fae was given the permanent coaching job in February 2024. The trip to World Cup co-host Canada marks his first visit to the country. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Forbes
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Concacaf Puts Stars Like Pulisic, Davies In Impossible Position
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 18: Alphonso Davies #19 of Canada passes the ball while Christian Pulisic ... More #10 of the United States looks on during the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Final at Allegiant Stadium on June 18, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/USSF/Getty Images for USSF) After the news this week that Christian Pulisic will forgo playing for the U.S. men's national team this June in friendlies and then the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, the American soccer universe has been flooded with a barage of polarized opinions. The majority suggest Pulisic risks doing damage to the USMNT's mentality and cohesion by passing on the last competitive event before next year's World Cup. A smaller but considerable minority suggest taking a breather now is worth it if it will result in better a year from now. And predictably, most ignore the real problem: Concacaf's unrelenting competitive calendar that manufactures high-stakes semifinals and finals for its biggest programs, and gives European stars like Pulisic, Canada's Alphonso Davies and others an a string of impossible decisions. It's not the number of total games Concacaf asks of its teams, but rather the number that are assessed a high level of urgency by virtue of being late-round knockout contests. In a federation as unbalanced as Concacaf, it's an extremely predictable outcome that the U.S., Canada and Mexico compete in the majority of those. Arguably, that's exactly the point since the Concacaf Nations League joined the region's list of too-frequent competitions. While the Concacaf Nations League was launched under the noble auspices of giving more competitive fixtures to regional minnows, the reality is an endless stream of semifinals and finals played mostly between those three North American foes, whose rivalry stokes regional tensions that can be enormously profitable at the box office. The final foursome has already been contested four times since its launch in 2019, and will be contested again in 2027. The U.S. and Mexico have been a part of all four final fours, and Canada has made the last three. Those games pile onto the Gold Cup schedule which is already played every two years, rather than the quadrennial schedule of the European Championships, Asian Cup and in the future the Copa America. Adding even more absurity to the burden was last year's Concacaf participation in said Copa America for a second time in eight years. Yes, the tournament obviously offers the federation's top teams a more similar test to the approaching World Cup than will the Gold Cup. But if you're going to play in it, maybe consider scaling back elsewhere? Something should have given, and yet it didn't. Combine all that together and you get numbers like Pulisic's absurd appearance record since he first came on the USMNT scene in 2016. NOTE: List include only competitions not tied to World Cup qualifying *Includes collaboration with Conmebol on two Copa America tournaments In 76 total U.S. appearances for Pulisic, 12 have come in a continental final, semifinal or third-place match. And he already skipped three of the four Gold Cups in that stretch. If Pulisic had competed in every "major" continental competition the United States played in, he would've played in 10 different events sanctioned by Concacaf and Conmebol. (This total excludes World Cup and World Cup qualifying matches.) There's no other continent that makes such similarly outrageous demands. Over the same span, Cristiano Ronaldo has played in six such UEFA events for Portugal, which is the maximum possible since UEFA adopted its own, far more humane version of a Nations League. Lionel Messi has competed in four Copa Americas in the same timeframe, the only tournament Conmebol contests outside its admittedly draining World Cup qualifying format. In any other region, the burden Concacaf places on teams would be seen as obvious overkill. That's one reason Bayern Munich and Alphonso Davies' agent both reacted so strongly when Alphonso Davies tore his ACL in Canada's third-place victory over the United States in March. Sure, it was technically a competitive fixture. It was also the second "continental" third-place match the Bayern left back has played in nine months. But because nearly every one of these competitions includes the prospect of a USA-Mexico and/or USA-Canada meeting, the generic pressure to participate is far higher than in your average UEFA Nations League match might be. That's just the dynamic of such a top-heavy federation. And in creating the Nations League and insisting on a biennial Gold Cup, Concacaf certainly knows those rivalry games are the likely outcome. The federations are also complicit. The U.S. and Mexico have met in seven competitive fixtures since the close of the 2018 World Cup, and could very well meet for an eighth time in that stretch. Apparently not content with that level of familiarity, they've also scheduled four friendlies over the span. The most similar recent precedent for Concacaf's overwhelming demands also had that rivalry dynamic: the long-defunct British Home Championship, a four-team tournament contested in a three-match round robin format between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It was abandoned in 1984 based on a combination of competitive and safety concerns, in an era when the majority of national team talent in most global regions still played its domestic football close to home. The modern Concacaf era didn't really begin until the launch of the Gold Cup several years later. So on some level it's understandable the region is behind the times. But as the federation prepares to host its fourth World Cup, it's long past time to get up to speed and start making at least some competitive decisions that have the player – not revenue potential – in mind. Because Pulisic, Davies and others currently face an impossible dynamic of always saying yes and risking their livelihoods, or occasionally saying no and risking their popularity.
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
New Canada faces get chance to impress as Jesse Marsch reshuffles roster for June friendlies
Jesse Marsch has changed the look of his Canada squad for the upcoming international window with friendlies against Ukraine and Côte D'Ivoire, largely out of necessity, and is allowing some new faces a chance to prove themselves. The absences of Alphonso Davies and Moise Bombito due to injury in particular will provide new starting opportunities for emerging players, and allow Marsch to consider different looks for the team with the 2026 World Cup nearly one year away. Advertisement And while many of Canada's top European-based players were called into the June squad — including Jonathan David, Stephen Eustaquio and Tajon Buchanan — this squad could also provide the backbone of the Gold Cup team that will compete for Canada's last trophy before 2026 as well. Multiple other European-based young players who might not typically play in a Gold Cup could use the June window and the tournament to make themselves indispensable for selection in 2026. Canada will begin its training camp by visiting Halifax for the first time. An open training session and community initiatives will be included in the team's visit before moving to Toronto for its two friendly matches. There are a number of first-choice players for Marsch who are missing the June international window. Alphonso Davies continues to recovery after his ACL tear suffered at the Nations League Finals in March. First choice centre-back Moise Bombito will soon have wrist surgery and will be out for four weeks. Bombito will not be available at this summer's Gold Cup. Jonathan Osorio partially dislocated his shoulder during an April 30 match against CF Montreal. Though not confirmed, Alistair Johnston will likely take the summer to rest after an exhaustive season at Celtic. Johnston has played a combined 48 matches so far this season across all competitions, up from 42 last season. Johnston told The Athletic after the Nations League Finals that his status for the summer with Canada was still to be determined. The injuries will allow Marsch to look at new and up-and-coming players who are looking to cement their places in the 2026 World Cup roster. Who Marsch tips to fill in for Bombito could reveal plenty about who his optimal choice off the bench at centre back will be come 2026. Waterman has established himself as a trusted player in training sessions and off the pitch for Canada since Marsch took over in 2024, but has yet to see consistent playing time. Waterman has started all but three MLS games for Montreal this season and is growing into more of a leadership role. He will be in line for just his fourth start for Canada. Advertisement Jamie Knight-Lebel continues to impress Marsch as well. The 20-year-old has only made one appearance for Canada and has served largely as a player used in training sessions, but Marsch has given plenty of feedback to the physical defender on how better to close down on opponents in tight spaces. He could be on deck for more minutes this window as well as Waterman. Niko Sigur will be in line for his first starts for Canada. Marsch continues to rave about the player's intelligence behind closed doors. Marsch didn't hesitate to call on the 21-year-old to replace Davies in March. After bouncing from Toronto FC to clubs in Norway and Germany in the span of four years, 22-year-old Jayden Nelson has finally found his footing and is reaching his potential with the Vancouver Whitecaps this season. Nelson has just two appearances for Canada since 2020, but his pace and daring play could help boost his stock with Marsch. Marsch has previously told The Athletic that he has high expectations for Nathan Saliba and pegged him as a breakout candidate for 2025. Saliba's qualities on the ball have already garnered interest from Europe and he projects as a possible candidate to crack the 2026 squad. Finally, up front: there were no changes from the March window in the forwards called into Canada's squad. The picture of who Marsch will lean on to score in 2026 is starting to become clearer. Keep and eye on who earns more time between Promise David and Daniel Jebbison. Even though Cyle Larin scored his latest La Liga goal in his last appearance for Mallorca, but one of David and Jebbison – both in just their second Canada camp – could be coming for Cyle Larin's starting spot in 2026. The most interesting name on Canada's squad list is one fans have never seen before: 18-year-old Manchester United Under-18 centre-forward Gabriele Biancheri. Marsch has invited Biancheri into the squad as a training player, meaning he will not play in any of the games. Advertisement There's loads of intrigue around Biancheri. Any time a player associated with a club of Manchester United's size, he's bound to draw attention. And Biancheri has 21 goals in 35 appearances this season, which means he can clearly find the back of the net. Canada's assistant coach Ewan Sharp has previously worked at Manchester United. Sharp has a strong eye for talent and likely kept tabs on Biancheri. Biancheri's mother is Canadian, explaining his eligibility to be called into Canada's squad. Biancheri is Welsh and has previously scored loads for Wales Under-19 squad. He also accepted a call-up into Wales' 29-player senior team camp this month. Biancheri has Italian citizenship as well through his father. But could Canada's guarantee of 2026 World Cup matches sway Biancheri to look more closely at possibly joining Marsch's squad? Canada could very well like his intelligence in the box, his link-up play and how he has a different profile than other national team forwards. Big picture, Marsch continues to lay the groundwork on dual nationals to join Canada and bolster his squad ahead of 2026. 'There are other discussions that have been had, visits that have been had, I'd say that a lot of them have gone really well,' Marsch said earlier this week on the impact of his dual nationals search. 'It's a case-by-case basis, (looking at) each person's family history and career trajectory and what it would mean to be part of the Canadian national team versus another national team. It all means something different. I think one of the keys is this team is really unified and really strong together, and they're very proud to represent Canada and what it means to be Canadian and what it means to play for the Canadian national team. And so for me, on all of these discussions that's the first line: What does this mean to you? How do you feel about playing for Canada? How do you feel about representing the nation and and the flag? I know it as a foreigner that it's meant a lot to me, and the responsibility I feel to make sure that in all ways, that everything we do is exactly a perfect representation of what that means to be Canadian, especially in the current political climate.' How Biancheri adapts to Marsch's training demands could be fascinating. Biancheri might not be the quickest player but he's still an excellent finisher and has evident technical qualities. He's certainly worth keeping an eye on throughout June. Advertisement Yes, Jonathan Sirois has been called into Canada's squad as a training player, but: Marsch calling just two goalkeepers to play in the upcoming matches is a smart move. He knows it's down to just two goalkeepers who will start for Canada in 2026. It wouldn't be a surprise for Maxime Crepeau and Dayne St. Clair to split the two friendly matches. Marsch wants a healthy competition between the two. Allowing these two to be the sole focus between the sticks in camp will only heighten that competition. Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau (Portland Timbers), Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United) Defenders: Sam Adekugbe (Vancouver Whitecaps), Zorhan Bassong (Sporting Kansas City), Derek Cornelius (Olympic Marseille), Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham), Jamie Knight-Lebel (Crewe Alexandra), Richie Laryea (Toronto), Joel Waterman (Montreal). Midfielders: Ali Ahmed (Vancouver Whitecaps), Tajon Buchanan (Villareal CF), Mathieu Choiniere (Grasshopper), Stephen Eustaquio (Porto), Ismael Kone (Rennes), Jayden Nelson (Vancouver Whitecaps), Nathan Saliba (CF Montreal), Jacob Shaffelburg (Nashville), Niko Sigur (Hadjuk Split). Forwards: Jonathan David (Lille), Promise David (Union Saint-Gilloise), Daniel Jebbison (AFC Bournemouth), Cyle Larin (Mallorca), Tani Oluwaseyi (Minnesota United). Training players: Gabriele Biancheri (Manchester United Academy), Jonathan Sirois (CF Montréal) (Top photo of Jesse Marsch:)
Vancouver Sun
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Which Vancouver Whitecap could return to Austin for the MLS All-Star Game?
Even in June 2018, when he was just 17, Alphonso Davies was already a star. He was being connected to teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich, an electric young talent whose speed and skills had the biggest clubs in the world taking notice. And two weeks before his ground-shaking transfer to Bayern, Phonzie got recognition of another kind — being named to Major League Soccer's all-star team. Players were chosen by fan vote and the all-star coach. But neither of them selected Davies, who has been arguably the biggest talent to come out of the North American league. He got in as the commissioner's pick, with Don Garber tabbing the teen and two-time MLS Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips of the New York Red Bulls for the exhibition game against Italian icons Juventus. Can't wipe that smile! 😁 The moment @AlphonsoDavies found out he was a #MLSAllStar commissioner's pick. #VWFC Including Davies, only six Whitecaps have been selected to the showcase event since the team came into MLS in 2011: Jay DeMerit (2012) , Camilo (2013) , David Ousted (2015) , Kendall Waston (2016) , and Ryan Gauld (2024) . The only player ever selected by fans was DeMerit, who was recognizable to the domestic fan base as a U.S. international who started for the Americans at the 2010 World Cup, and whose inspirational story had begun to reach folklore levels thanks to an indie film . Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. And none of those Whitecaps teams that produced the all-stars had as much success as this current edition, which sits atop the MLS standings and is playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup title game for the first time in team history. The team — finally — has the attention of the rest of MLS. As the club heads to Austin, site of the 2025 All-Star Game in July , for a Saturday night league fixture, the question becomes: Can this translate into all-star selections? 'We've got a lot of guys on this team that definitely deserve a shout,' said midfielder Ali Ahmed. 'Vancouver is not the most attractive market to watch; late games, people kind of forget about us. But I think we've made it hard this year not to put a name for the team. A lot of players have stepped up and shined, and definitely deserve to be there for sure.' One player tops the list of potential all-stars for 2025: Brian White. Austin will be game-planning to defend him Saturday, after he torched them for four goals — that's a 'haul,' in soccer lingo — in April. His eight goals is third-most in the league, only trailing Philadelphia's Tai Baribo (10) and San Jose's Cristian Arango (nine). But the U.S. international has only played nine league games compared with Baribo's 12 and Arango's 13, as White has been busy in the CCC tournament, where's he's banged in six goals, second only to Cruz Azul's Ángel Sepúlveda. White was asked Friday, as the team prepared to travel to Austin, if he would like to head back there for another game: the All-Star Game. In his usual infallibly humble manner, he replied: 'Recognition is always nice, but that's not really something I'm focused on. Honestly, I haven't really thought about it at all. There's a lot of games, lot of things coming up before then. So if it happens, it happens, and if it doesn't, I'll have a couple days off to chill.' The first rule of White, it seems, is to never talk up White. So it was put to him who else on his team should join him in Austin, and he proceeded to list every player on the roster, including rookies and NextPro call-ups. That exceedingly long list has been pared down to players who have a realistic shot of joining White in Austin, along with the White scouting report to help fans (or all-star coach Nico Estévez, who will see them Saturday) make their decisions. Whitecaps deserving all-star recognition Andrés Cubas, MF One of the best No. 6s in the league, he stifled and frustrated Lionel Messi and Inter Miami , but rarely gets much recognition for the defensive work he puts in. He's been a big part of the Caps' aggressive repressing and transition success this season. White: 'He's super-important for us as that little engine in the middle. Breaks plays up, starts the counters, a workhorse all around the field, and probably one of the most underrated players in the league.' Sebastian Berhalter, MF The box-to-box No. 8 has made 33 tackles, ninth most in the league, but the 23-year-old is younger than every player above him on the list, save NYC FC phenom Jonathan Shore (18). His 48 tackles/interceptions is fourth-most in the league, plus he's chipping in offensively — a goal and three assists in MLS, and three more goals in CCC play. White: 'Sebastian has been great. Similar to Cubas, he gets in the box as well. Can finish off plays. He finds that pass in the end, crosses the ball. He just does everything for us. He's another one of the engines in the team, and we wouldn't be as successful as we are without him.' Pedro Vite, MF The Ecuadorean midfielder has taken his game to another level this season, chipping in with three goals and four assists in just 773 MLS minutes. Vancouver is working hard to retain him, as his five-year contract expires this year, but Vite has been in the middle of several rumours linking him to a move to Europe at season's end. White: 'Pedro's been fantastic. He's getting on the ball. He's creating. He's dynamic when he gets it, he can find the parents, he can finish all plays. So he's another very good piece that we have this year, and he deserves all the attention that he's getting.' Tristan Blackmon (and Ranko Veselinovic), CB The centre-back pairing has been dynamic and defensive, as Vancouver has given up just 10 goals in league play — fewest in MLS. They only give up 8.8 shots against per game, and have an xG-against of 13.75, again the lowest in MLS. Veselinovic has been an exceptional passer from the back line, connecting on 431 of 434 medium distance passes and 180 of 190 of short passes; his 95.1 completion percentage is second in MLS only to Columbus Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe. Blackmon isn't far behind in his passing and defensive statistics, but gets the nod because he's scored twice this year in league play — not to mention having one of the biggest goal's in the team's history against Pumas. He's made several end-to-end charges from the backline with the ball at his feet, showcasing his offensive ability as well. White: 'Week in, week out, you see how (Blackmon) is able to defend, and what he brings going forward. He does all the little things around the field and team, he's just been an engine for the team from the backline.' Yohei Takaoka, GK The team's 8-1-3 record is the best in MLS, and Takaoka has been a big part of that. His five shutouts rank second in the league, a number he had been tied with, except for an unlucky 97th-minute penalty kick given up to RSL. His goals against per 90 minutes (0.83) is also best in MLS. White: 'We have one of the best defences in the league, and that starts with him. That save he made at the end of the game against LAFC shows how good he is. On the ball, he can do it all as a goalie, especially in this modern era of goalkeepers. I think he's one of the best.' Postmedia News's alternate picks Ali Ahmed, F Ahmed has five assists in 573 minutes this season. Of the four players ahead of him with six assists, two have played twice his minutes, one is a US$2.2 million DP with Charlotte (Pep Biel) and the other is Luis Suarez. Not bad company to be in. Jayden Nelson, F Nelson's speed has been a game-changer for the Caps on the wing, especially in transition. His 1.17 g+a/90 is the highest in MLS. He has two goals and four assists in 466 MLS minutes, and has been hampered by injury. The caveat to his stats is that a goal and three assists came in his debut game.
