Jonathan David's Performance Going Unnoticed Ahead of World Cup
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Paris Saint-Germain might run away with the Ligue 1 title this season, but stars elsewhere aren't getting the attention they deserve. Canadian Jonathan David of Lille heads into game week 11 right behind Kylian Mbappé and Neymar on the goal-scoring charts and ahead of the great Lionel Messi.
Here's a look at how the Maple Leafs’ superstar is getting on in France, and why Canadians should be confident ahead of the World Cup.
A Fantastic Goal-scoring Return
It has been a topsy-turvy few years for Lille, which managed to win the Ligue 1 title in 2020, with David scoring 13 times. David would net 15 Ligue 1 goals the year after; it was his best goal-scoring season in Europe since 2019, when he scored 18 goals for Ghent in Belgium.
In 2022-23, Terem Moffi of Lorient and legends Neymar and Mbappe are the only men with more goals in Ligue 1 than David. The Canadian has an impressive seven goals in 10 league games, which equals 0.71 goal per 90 minutes and 126 minutes per goal.
David has also had seven fewer shots than Mbappe, meaning he boasts a goal-conversion rate of 28% and a better shot accuracy percentage (68%) than PSG's famous attacking trio. Lille has scored 18 goals in Ligue 1 this season, and David has been involved in half, with seven scored by himself and two assists.
The 23-year-old needs only 12 more goals in Ligue 1 across 28 more games to surpass his best goal-scoring season, and there is nothing to suggest he won’t.
How Does David Compare to Other Canadians Ahead of the World Cup?
Canada’s star players have struggled individually ahead of the World Cup. Alphonso Davies has still not scored a Bundesliga goal; he has gone more than 30 games without registering one after failing to score a goal last season.
Things have looked brighter for Canada's MLS stars, as Lucas Cavallini has helped the Vancouver Whitecaps win the Canadian Championship this season and scored nine goals in 24 MLS games, although that wasn't enough to get the Whitecaps into the playoffs.
Junior Hoilett has been in poor goal-scoring form for a number of years. The Reading forward has one Championship goal in 12 appearances this season, and after netting three goals in 27 games last campaign, it doesn't look as if he is improving at age 32.
Cyle Larin is Canada's all-time top scorer with 25 goals from 54 caps, three of which have been scored in 2022. However, after moving to Club Brugge in Belgium, Larin has scored only one goal in eight appearances. Club Brugge is stunningly atop its Champions League group, but Larin has not been a contributor, with just one start in three games in Europe.
David is carrying the goal-scoring weight of a nation ahead of the World Cup, as no other Canadian is firing them in at anywhere near the pace he is.
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