Bayern Munich: Alphonso Davies unlucky to not win Golden Boy award
Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies was well worthy of winning the Golden Boy award.
Unlike Ballon d’Or, the Golden Boy award did go ahead this year despite the pandemic. Tuttosport released the final ranking and announced the winner on Saturday. Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland won the award for his prolific goalscoring record last season. Bayern Munich winger Alphonso Davies finished third on the list.
There is no doubt Haaland had a phenomenal breakthrough year, scoring more than 30 goals during his stay at Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund. However, there was a strong case for Davies to win this award. The Canadian ended the last campaign as one of the best full-backs in Europe.
Excelling in a different position
Davies was expected to be a forward for Die Roten after excelling in that position during his time at Vancouver Whitecaps. However, an injury crisis in the defensive department during October last year forced Niko Kovac to deploy Davies in the left-back position.
The Canadian winger grabbed this opportunity with both hands. He did look erratic in this position initially, but he kept improving as the season progressed. Most importantly, he was one of the most skillful left-back in Europe, causing problems in the final third through his dribbling and pace. There were few rough edges in the defending aspect of his game. However, more minutes under his belt allowed him to excel in not his natural position.
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Delivering good performances against top teams in Europe
Davies was doing fairly well against teams in Bundesliga. The bigger tests for him were about to come in the Champions League. He managed to come out of these challenges with flying colours, keeping Lucas Hernandez out of the starting XI with his consistent performances.
At Stamford Bridge in February, Davies showed his remarkable pace and skill to set up Robert Lewandowski for the third goal. He was unplayable at times against Barcelona in the quarter-finals as he grabbed a remarkable assist in that game. Davies had a scratchy spell in the CL final, but he recovered and went on to have a good performance against Paris-Saint Germain. Against the best teams of Europes, Davies stepped up and delivered big performances.
Big contributions in winning the treble
Bayern had a remarkable season last year as they clinched the second treble in seven years. Davies played a big role in this success, and he is likely to be a pivotal player for the German Champions in the future. The Canadian winger provided a new dimension in the attack for Die Roten, providing the width to stretch the defense and create space for other forwards.
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Davies ended the campaign with three goals and nine assists across all competitions. It is an incredible output for a teenager that is not playing in his best position. He played a big role in the treble-winning campaign that eventually helped him to win the rookie of the year award in the Bundesliga. (Stats courtesy: Transfermarkt)
Haaland is a phenomenal talent, and his numbers are staggering for a young striker. However, Davies did have a very big impact in the best team of Europe last season, so there is a strong case for him to get this award ahead of the Norwegian striker.