Alfie Jones #3

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A casual locker room chat with Canada winger Liam Millar when the pair were at Hull together in the 2024-2025 season proved career-changing for Jones. The Bristol-born defender mentioned to Millar that he had a Canadian grandmother, so his clubmate pointed out the possibilities. What followed was a whirlwind period for Jones, who went through the process to earn citizenship and made his Canada debut against Venezuela in November last year. A hulking 1.90m centre-back known for aggression, ball-playing skills and aerial prowess, he was named Hull’s player of the year in 2023 – chosen by then-manager Liam Rosenior – before joining Middlesbrough last year. Jones had an injury-disrupted season, but regained sharpness in time to take his place in this summer’s squad. “I feel there's a connection there, it's in my bloodline being linked to Canada, and I'm a very emotional guy,” he said last year. “So, the thought of putting on the Canadian shirt and just doing the best I can to represent the country is what drives me.”

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