Former school of Edmonton’s Alphonso Davies cheers on Canada at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Posted June 13, 2026 10:38 am.
Students at St. Nicholas Junior High Catholic School, the former school of Edmonton soccer star Alphonso Davies, were cheering on Team Canada on Friday as it took on Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
St. Nicholas is known for its premier athletic soccer program, where students not only learn core subjects such as English and math but also develop their soccer skills with hopes of one day following in Davies’ footsteps.
One classroom is decorated with World Cup memorabilia and Alphonso Davies merchandise, serving as a reminder of the school’s most famous alumnus.
“It’s crazy… he’s probably stood here before and now he’s at the biggest stage in the world,” said Lucas Raymond, a Grade 8 student. “Yeah it’s just unbelievable to me.”
Although Davies did not play in Friday’s match as he continues to recover from an injury, many at the school said his presence was still felt.
The school’s dedicated soccer coaches have a deeper connection to the Canadian superstar, including one instructor who played alongside Davies during his time at St. Nicholas.
“Having alphonso davies as a teammate… was incredible,” said Tyler Ruiz, soccer instructor, former davies teammate. “It was basically you can give him the ball and he would do magic with it. You could give him a ball and something special would be happening with it.He was always uplifting, always smiling, joy in him. He was just one of those people you wanted to be around.”
Ruiz said soccer’s popularity has grown rapidly in Edmonton and across Canada, in part because of Davies’ success on the world stage.
“He made it almost possible for kids here that like ‘I’m from Canada but I’m still able to go to Europe and play professionally and play in the big clubs,” said Ruiz. “He definitely paved the way for kids now.”
“Everywhere you see people in soccer, clareview, commonwealth, people playing soccer,” said Raymond. “It’s the love of the game, everybody loves it.”
As the World Cup continues over the next month, students at St. Nicholas Junior High Catholic School say they will be watching closely and believe Canada has the potential to make a deep run in the tournament.
“I think we’re going to be the underdogs of the tournament… I think we should do pretty well,” said Raymond.
