Norwich City winger Ali Ahmed is preparing for a home World Cup this summer, with Canada co-hosting the tournament. The 25-year-old, who grew up in Toronto, will play in both Vancouver and Toronto during the group stage. 'I want to win our group,' he says, reflecting on the opportunity to represent his country on home soil.
Ahmed's journey to the World Cup began in his Toronto neighbourhood, where he used to jump fences to train on Toronto FC's pitches before dawn. 'Why not go and get a taste?' he recalls. His path took him through Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and non-league trials in England before he signed professionally with Vancouver Whitecaps.
In 2023, Ahmed was knocked unconscious during a Canadian Championship match and treated on the pitch for 17 minutes. 'I hit the floor... I thought I was dreaming that I scored,' he says. Despite the scare, he recovered and continued his rise, earning a spot with the Canadian national team and later moving to Norwich City in January.
Ahmed's upbringing in the Lawrence Heights neighbourhood was marked by gun violence. 'Unfortunately it's a community that's experienced a lot of gun violence... You hear shots, you hear police, it's tough,' he says. But he credits the community's unity and beauty for shaping him.
Now, Ahmed is focused on the World Cup, where Canada will face Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver after an opener against a European playoff winner in Toronto. A potential match against Italy in his hometown would be special, given the city's large Italian population and his family's ties to Italy.
