Canada Soccer Announces Six Finalists for Players of the Year

Canada Soccer have announced the six finalists for the 2023 Canada Soccer Players of the Year Award from both the Women’s and Men’s National Team Programs. The two co-winners, one player from each National Team, will be announced on Friday 15 December.

The three finalists from the Women’s National Team are Jessie Fleming (Chelsea FC), Cloé Lacasse (Arsenal FC), Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea FC), while the three finalists from the Men’s National Team are Jonathan David (LOSC Lille), Alphonso Davies (FC Bayern Munich), Stephen Eustáquio (FC Porto).

This is the seventh straight year Davies has finished in the Top 3 in voting (winner in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022). This is also David’s fifth straight year in the Top 3 (winner in 2019). Eustáquio has finished in the Top 3 for the second year in a row, being last year’s runner-up.

This is the fifth time Lawrence has finished in the Top 3 (winner in 2019). Fleming has finished in the Top 3 for the fourth time (winner in 2021 and 2022), while this is the first time Lacasse has finished in the Top 3 in voting.

This marks the 31st year of the Canada Soccer Player Awards and voting for the Players of the Year, conducted by Canadian coaches and media, closed this week on Tuesday 12 December. Earlier this week, Ismaël Koné and Jade Rose were named the Canada Soccer Young Players of the Year, Samuel Charron was named the Canada Soccer Para Soccer Player of the Year, and Safwane Mlah was named the Canada Soccer Futsal Player of the Year.

From 8 to 15 December, Canadian soccer fans will vote on the annual Allstate Canadian National Teams Good Hands Award, recognizing the top save by Canada’s National Team goalkeepers during international play. ​ New this year, fans will also vote on both a Men’s National Team Moment of the Year and a Women’s National Team Moment of the Year, with voting to launch later this month and the Top Moments to be announced at the end of the year.

JESSIE FLEMING
​Jessie Fleming featured in her third FIFA World Cup in 2023 and she captained Canada to yet another qualification to the Olympic Games. She featured in 12 of Canada’s 13 matches and had one assist. At the club level from January to November 2023, she made 32 appearances, played 1,588 minuts and scored two goals. She helped Chelsea FC reach the Semifinals in 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
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​CLOÉ LACASSE
​Cloé Lacasse took part in her first FIFA World Cup in 2023 and she scored her first goal of the year at home in Toronto during Olympic Qualifiers. She was one of four players that featured in all 13 Canada matches and the only Canadian to earn Player of the Match honours three times. At the club level from January to November 2023 with SL Benfica and Arsenal FC, she made 30 appearances, played 2,033 minutes and scored 19 goals. She helped Benfica win the 2022-23 Campeonato Nacional and the Taça da Liga.
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ASHLEY LAWRENCE
​Ashley Lawrence took part in her third FIFA World Cup and she helped Canada qualify for another Olympic Games after she provided assists in both legs of two-match qualification series. She led Canada with 13 starts, 1,050 minutes and four assists. At the club level from January to November 2023 with both Paris Saint-Germain FC and Chelsea FC, she made 25 appearances, played 1,805 minutes and scored one goal. She reached the Quarterfinals of 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
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JONATHAN DAVID
​Jonathan David scored four goals and two assists in seven Canada matches in 2023 including a second-place finish at the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League Finals. He earned Performance of the Match honours in the Semifinals against Panama. At the club level from January through November 2023 with Lille OSC, he made 42 appearances, played 3,412 minutes, scored 21 goals and got two assists. He featured in 2023-24 UEFA Europa Conference League.
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ALPHONSO DAVIES
​Alphonso Davies scored two goals and one assist in seven Canada matches in 2023, including a second-place finish at the 202-23 Concacaf Nations League Finals. He scored in the Semifinals win over Panama. At the club level from January through November 2023 with FC Bayern München, he made 38 appearances, played 2,859 minutes, scored two goals and got seven assists. He helped FC Bayern win the 2022-23 Bundesliga and reach the Quarterfinals in 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
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STEPHEN EUSTÁQUIO
​Stephen Eustáquio scored a goal and an assist in six Canada matches in 2023, including a second-place finish at the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League Finals. He scored the match winner in Canada’s first away win in Jamaica in 35 years in November. At the club level from January through November 2023 with FC Porto, he made 41 appearances, played 2,732 minutes, scored five goals and got two assists. He helped FC Porto finish second in the 2022-23 Primeira Liga and reach the Round of 16 in 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.