Gressel and Ahmed win awards at 2023 Canadian Championship

Julian Gressel of Vancouver Whitecaps FC won the George Gross Memorial Trophy while teammate Ali Ahmed picked up the Toyota Best Young Canadian Player Award at the 2023 Canadian Championship. Gressel was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after leading Whitecaps FC to their second consecutive title while Ahmed was selected as the best Canadian player aged 23 years or younger.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC won the 2023 Canadian Championship with a 2:1 win over visiting CF Montréal in the Final on Wednesday 7 June. It was the second year in a row that Whitecaps FC lifted the Voyageurs Cup at BC Place in Vancouver.

Gressel scored goals in both the Quarterfinals and Semifinals and earned Performance of the Match honours in the Semifinals away against Pacific FC.

Ahmed scored the match winner in the Semifinals against Pacific, but suffered an injury shortly thereafter and missed the Final. He was also part of the build up on Vancouver’s first goal of the Quarterfinals, a 4:1 away win over York United FC.