10 Facts You Did Not Know About The Canadian Star

It’s been a wonderful few years for Canadian football. The national team qualified for the FIFA World Cup Finals for the first time since 1986. Many players are thriving in Europe. It looks like Canada is poised for a huge success in Qatar 2022 with its golden generation. Jonathan David was one of the most prominent lights of this group.

Lille striker is the scoring star who helped Why Doug Winning the Ligue 1 title in 2020-21. David is attracting attention from the top European clubs with a transfer on the horizon.

Canada is sure to reach even greater heights with David leading the way for years to come. football Presents the most important facts about exciting talent.

Childhood of three countries

Jonathan David must have traveled during his childhood. He was born in New York when his family was visiting relatives. So David holds US citizenship in this way. However, the family moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti when he was six months old. They were again on the move when Davis turned six.

This time, it was in Ottawa where David began his education and future life. The experiences he had by living in all three countries, especially Haiti, will shape his understanding of the world.

Football started in Haiti and school

Jonathan David joined Louis Riel, where he really got a taste of football in Canada. David was always found with the ball at his feet, continuing from his days in Haiti. That doesn’t mean he was a bad student, at all. In Hither turned down a contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps because she wanted David to focus on studies. However, football support has always been present alongside the studies.

Joe Fournier
Joe Fournier, director of programs at Louis Riel. Image credits: ottawasportspages.ca

No to MLS

An anecdote is often asked when talking about Jonathan David. The young striker was determined to make his name in Europe. David played with Gloucester Dragons and Ottawa Gloucester Hornets until 2015. He joined Ottawa Internationals after that before moving to Gent in 2018. During this entire period, many peers left to join MLS clubs or academies. However, David stuck to his belief by playing only abroad, the land whose matches he witnessed growing up.

Moroccan influence

Every perfect student needs a teacher. For Jonathan David, that person was Hani El Maghribi, whom he met in Ottawa Gloucester. The Moroccan will become David’s most important mentor during this stage of his career. Described as a father figure, it was the Moroccan who promoted the idea of ​​playing in Europe.

Moreover, he was making videos for every player so that they could show that in any demo club and even learning. The Moroccan wanted David to succeed in all areas, not only as a footballer but also as a human being.

Failure comes before success

Hard work never goes unnoticed and is proven right in the case of Jonathan David. His remarkable performance was noted in Europe. David was offered to conduct trials at RB Salzburg, Stuttgart and Gent. However, his performance in the first two clubs was not very hot. David was rejected by both Salzburg and Stuttgart before Gent eventually signed him. This was his first breakthrough in Europe and things would only go uphill.

Thierry Henry as Idol

Jonathan David always looked forward to the best European strikers of his era. Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o were both in the mix but who is his favourite? Thierry Henry, the way he drops, dribbles the ball and takes the players.

β€œWatching the little details about his game is something you can take and put into your game,” David said. football. He molded his game by watching their game, how they move and finish. This enabled him to capture the finer details of the game’s greats.

Fashionable off the field

Like most young footballers, David loves the subtle side of things off the field. He has partnered with Fly Nowhere, a company that has created branded assets in collaboration with sports personalities among others. David defends his admiration for Henry’s theme of designer clothing, and credits his collaboration with Fly Nowhere to the product’s uniqueness. He has always understood that being a footballer is not everything in life with personal projects being important too.

Snowman on the prowl

The nickname was given to David by his national team manager John Herdman. Speaking about how great he is in front of goal, β€œHe is able to slow the ball down in the penalty area, wait for the goalkeeper to sit down, and pick his moments. This is a real special feature in a striker.” David was praised for being patient and not rushing to score. This is a huge positive in his game as he continues to evolve over the years.

silent killer

Much like his character, David doesn’t like being in the headlines very much. He is always focused on being the team player. As David himself said, β€œI am not looking for the limelight. I do not use social media. I am still focused on my career, my family and my friends. But I still aspire to become one of the best strikers in the world.” This kind of desire through hard work and determination will pay off in so many amazing ways.

Giving to the community

The most important characteristic of Jonathan David as a person is how he thinks of others less fortunate than him. He has spoken many times about helping the country he grew up in as a child. “Haiti is where I come from, where I grew up. So obviously something I want to do is help them. It’s only the beginning, but I’m working on different things that I can do,” David said.

Furthermore, he has also teamed up with former USMNT player Tony Sane to provide 300 young footballers in Port-au-Prince with training, meals and accommodations. David is determined to make sure the life he has can be used to help those around him as a human being that is more important than just being a footballer.