Age
23
National Team
Canada
Club
Vancouver Whitecaps
Position
Fullback / Centre Midfield
Ali Ahmed is a Canadian defender and midfielder who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC & competes in Major League Soccer. The 23-year-old made his way to the west coast from Toronto for a trial with the Whitecaps. He would go-on to join the ‘Caps in their 2022 preseason in USA. After impressing the coaching staff, Ali put pen to paper on a MLS Next Pro contract and joined Whitecaps FC 2 in the early stages of 2022.
The midfielder quickly impressed with Whitecaps 2, earning himself a call-up to first team where he made his MLS professional debut against Austin FC in April 2022. Ali finished the 2022 MLS Next Pro season as the team’s Player of The Year. He was then rewarded with a professional first-team contract with the ‘Caps.
In his debut MLS season, Ali quickly established himself as a regular with the first team, earning 22 appearances. He was also named Best Young Canadian Player for the 2023 Canadian Championship, and at the end of the season he was crowned Whitecaps Most Promising Player of The Year for the 2023 season.
His impressive performances throughout the year caught the eye of the national team. He was a part of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad and made his debut for Canada in the tournament opener vs Guadeloupe. His standout performances at the Gold Cup earned him a spot in the 2024 Copa America roster for Canada, and once again Ali impressed espeically in his cameo vs Argentina in the Semi-Finals. Ali went on to start the third place match versus Uruguay.