Alfie Jones brings Canadian ancestry, defensive skill to shore up Canadian men's soccer team

A poignant history has led Alfie Jones to a surprising present with Canada’s men’s soccer team, the thinnest thread of connection now feeling more like gravity’s pull.

This week, Jones, a towering, English-born centre back for Championship side Middlesbrough, has made his first visit to Canada with the unlikely seeming goal of representing it.

On Tuesday, he sat in the team hotel in Toronto with a maple leaf over his heart. “I’m just trying to take it all in,” he said, “and enjoy every moment, and do the best that I can.”

He was waiting only to take his Oath of Citizenship. That was still the case on Wednesday afternoon. Without it, he won’t be able to play in Thursday’s friendly against Ecuador at BMO Field, the next challenge in the team’s shortening march toward next summer’s home World Cup.

“We’ll see what happens in the next 24 to 36 hours,” head coach Jesse Marsch said.

If Jones does manage to make his pledge in time, he’ll have the chance to show his now-fellow Canadians the lashing intensity that runs through him like blood. 

“I’m quite an emotional guy, I’m a very passionate guy,” he said. “I’ve got the badge on my chest now. I’m here to represent it in the best way possible, on and off the pitch. Obviously not a lot of people here know my personality, but they’ll see: I’m all in, or I’m nothing.”

Jones can play for Canada because one of his grandmothers was born in Hillcrest, Alta. Her family had emigrated to Canada from England; when she was a teenager, they were driven back by hardship and homesickness. “The rumour was it was because of the weather,” Jones said.

Before making his own move to Middlesbrough, Jones played at Hull with Canadian Liam Millar. Last season, the two men were sharing a sauna, and