'I'm here. I'm Canadian': Newcomers Jebbison, David eager to make mark with national men's soccer team

Chris Jones · for CBC Sports

· Posted: Mar 19, 2025 11:01 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

The relation of nationalist squad caput manager requires a peculiar acceptable of skills.

Jesse Marsch, the multi-faceted person of the Canadian men's shot side, has a peculiar knack for diplomacy: He's excelled astatine convincing dual nationals — players who tin correspond much than 1 state — to play for him, and truthful for Canada.

His latest converts, forwards Daniel Jebbison and Promise David, could marque their Canadian debuts astatine this week's CONCACAF Nations League Finals.

"I deliberation some of these 2 are large talents," Marsch said. "Now erstwhile you look astatine our wide extent of attacking options… I deliberation this is the strongest that the Canadian nationalist squad has ever looked."

On Thursday, 31st-ranked Canada volition play Mexico successful 1 semifinal astatine SoFi Stadium successful Los Angeles, aft the United States and Panama conscionable successful the other. The last and third-place crippled volition instrumentality spot Sunday.

Jebbison, who plays for Bournemouth of the English Premier League, and David, who has enjoyed a breakout run for Belgium's Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, volition supply first-rate screen for forwards Jonathan David and Cyle Larin.

The newcomers volition besides beryllium tested by their national-team introduction. Favoured Mexico, ranked 19th, volition person a frenzied, 70,000-strong assemblage heavy successful their favour.

"I'll beryllium fine," David said this week from arsenic sunny Los Angeles.

He scored a punishment distant against Dutch giants Ajax successful Europa League enactment past month. "When I enactment that shot down connected the spot, it was the loudest happening I've heard. It was a large feeling. I can't hold to bash it again."

He mightiness adjacent bash it for Canada. "It was ever portion of my plan," helium said.

FIFA, soccer's planetary governing body, has dilatory codified what it means to beryllium a national, trying to forestall countries similar Qatar from naturalizing a squad of ringers. Players request to show a "clear connection" to a state done birth, the nationalities of their parents oregon grandparents, oregon semipermanent residency.

That inactive leaves plentifulness of players with a prime to make. Jebbison and David were calved successful Oakville and Brampton, Ont., respectively, making their Canadian bona fides casual to prove. But some antecedently represented different countries.

The 21-year-old Jebbison, whose parent is English, made 13 appearances for England's younker teams. David played doubly for the U23s successful Nigeria, his family's state of origin.

Because neither had been capped by elder sides, they inactive had clip to marque the power to Canada. Jebbison near things a small late; helium was made eligible for this week's games lone aft his paperwork came done with 24 hours to spare.

"I kept my options open," helium said. "For me, the crushed it's Canada now: We're specified a young, brainsick diversion team. This is the fastest squad I've ever seen successful my life. I'm besides young, I'm besides fast, I'm besides athletic. There's a co-relation there. Imagine america successful our prime."

The bulk of Jebbison's improvement came astatine Sheffield United earlier his determination to Bournemouth past year. He's inactive uncovering his feet astatine the game's highest level, having begun the play connected indebtedness to Watford and coming connected lone arsenic a last-minute substitute for the Cherries past weekend.

Sometimes national-team occurrence tin accelerate a nine career, however, and Jebbison is anxious to springiness Marsch a speedy return.

"I'm here. I'm Canadian. I'm going to assistance this team, it's arsenic elemental arsenic that. I can't hold to amusement you what I tin do."

David has endured a acold much circuitous travel to the nationalist side. His nine vocation has included stops successful Croatia, the U.S., Malta, Estonia, and present Belgium, wherever his assurance has yet caught up with his size. He's scored 11 goals successful 24 appearances with RUSG this season.

"I didn't instrumentality the accepted route," helium said. "I walked into a casino and gambled connected myself."

Now he's won the accidental to deterioration the maple leafage — "my household and friends are telling maine I look bully successful red," helium said with a immense grin — successful a meaningful game.

It's the 4th clip the CONCACAF Nations League tourney has been held. The Americans claimed the archetypal 3 trophies; Canada's champion decorativeness was 2nd successful 2023, aft a 2-0 nonaccomplishment successful the final.

A rematch successful this year's last would bring immoderate superior fireworks, particularly aft the Wisconsin-born Marsch told U.S. President Donald Trump to "lay disconnected the ridiculous rhetoric astir Canada being the 51st state" past month.

The manager has since made much fruitful pitches to Daniel Jebbison and Promise David. He's made 2 much men arrogant to telephone themselves Canadian.

New Canada Shield tourney successful June

Canada volition play Ukraine and the Ivory Coast successful June astatine Toronto's BMO Field successful a caller four-team men's shot tourney called the Canadian Shield. New Zealand is the different squad taking portion successful the event, which consists of doubleheaders June 7 and June 10.

Canada volition unfastened the tourney June 7 against Ukraine, with New Zealand taking connected the Ivory Coast successful the nightcap. On June 10, it's New Zealand versus Ukraine followed by Canada versus the Ivory Coast.