Ashley Cole hails Alphonso Davies after journey from MLS to Champions League final

Alphonso Davies is a different player altogether to the one Ashley Cole first encountered in the MLS. The two left-backs played against each other when Davies, who was born in Ghana but raised in Canada, was with the Vancouver Whitecaps and Cole was at LA Galaxy.
And Cole has been impressed with the way Davies has progressed since joining Bayern Munich in January 2019.
He said: “Davies is playing in a great team that puts him in good positions.
“He’s so direct, he’s quick, he can go inside or outside.
“I played against him in the MLS and, obviously, he couldn’t combine there with players of the quality Bayern have.
“Moving to Bayern was a big step, it was a huge risk going from somewhere he was comfortable to play with top stars, but he has just improved –his timing, his understanding, when to go in behind, when to drag people out of position.
“He has improved on his decision-making and, of course, his strength is his speed.
“Everyone wants to give him time on the ball and you can’t do that because he is so quick.
“Even if you have five yards on him, he’ll push it past you and still go.
“He has won the Bundesliga already and he could end up with two trophies in his first full season at the club.
“It’s a great achievement for him and, from what I’ve heard, he sounds like a good, down-to-earth guy, he wants to learn – and what a club to learn at.”
Playing on such as stage as a Champions League final at just 19 will be another huge step in his development.
Cole added: “The Champions League final isn’t just another game. I don’t even think it’s what you dream of as a kid, you say that about World Cups.
“But when you start to play in it, you hear that anthem and see the names who have won it, that’s when it starts to hit home that, apart from the World Cup, this is the biggest competition in the world.”