PLAYER PROFILE – Ali Ahmed is a wide midfielder and winger for Norwich City F.C. and the Canadian men’s national team (CANMNT). He has worked his way into the national team, with the cities of Toronto and Vancouver both playing a big role in making that happen for him.
Ali Ahmed: The Hard-Worker
Childhood
Ahmed was born on October 10, 2000, in Toronto, Ontario, to Ethiopian parents. Born and bred in Toronto, he speaks English and Oromo. He was six years old when he started playing at North Toronto SC and enjoyed basketball and travel, according to the Canada Soccer website.
His role models/favourite teams growing up were Lionel Messi, Eden Hazard, and Chelsea FC. His other role models are Kobe Bryant, DeMar DeRozan, and Stephen Curry.
Ahmed talked about how obsessed he was with soccer growing up, according to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC YouTube Account on May 20, 2025:
He would begin playing youth soccer at age six with the North Toronto Nitros. Then, at age 16, he took part in a trial with the Toronto FC Academy (also known as the TFC Academy). They were ready to sign him to join the academy. However, he instead went to Portugal to sign with the U19 side of C.F. Os Belenenses. Unfortunately, he was unable to sign with the team as he was under 18 years old, as mentioned in J.J. Adams’ article for The Province:
“I was impatient for sure. I was impatient, and made my first mistake,” he said. “I had no clue (about the age requirement). I just thought that they were saying that just to (mess) with me.
This also showed Ahmed’s ambition. There is no one who would stop him from accomplishing his dream of becoming a pro soccer player in Canada.
All these traits growing up have helped Ahmed become the person and player he is for Norwich City and the CANMNT.
Ahmed also talked about joining the Vancouver Whitecaps FC team at age 19. He said a former youth coach played a big part in that, according to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC YouTube Account on May 20, 2025:
Ahmed made a lot of progress in soccer, but he needed help from one of his former youth coaches. This was the bridge he needed to cross to eventually become a professional soccer player.
Professional Career
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2022-26)
Technically, Ahmed played for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC from 2023-26. However, he played two games for the Whitecaps in 2022 as he was loaned by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 team.
Ahmed accomplished a lot with the Whitecaps; he made 102 appearances for the team. Some of his most significant games included scoring a goal in the 3-1 loss against Inter Miami CF in the 2025 MLS Cup Final. He was considered at least one of the Whitecaps’ best players.
Most notably, he played a big role in the Whitecaps making the 2025 Concacaf Champions League Final and won the George Gross Memorial Trophy as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025 Canadian Championship. In that game, he scored two of the four goals against Vancouver FC (Canadian Premier League team) at BC Place, in what was dubbed the “Battle of Vancouver.”
This is what the Whitecaps Sporting Director, Axel Schuster, said about Ali Ahmed as he continued his journey as a soccer player in England, as Ahmed wanted to pursue his career in Europe, according to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC website:
He has played for Norwich City FC for some time, and his time there has been valuable.
Norwich City F.C. (2026-Present)
The sporting director of Norwich City F.C., Ben Knapper, said this about Ali Ahmed according to the Norwich City F.C. website:
Ahmed made an immediate impact on Norwich City, scoring four goals and two assists in just two months of joining the team.
He has so far made 19 appearances and scored four goals for the club. When he joined the team, Norwich was fighting to stay in the Championship and avoid the relegation zone. However, with Ahmed playing a big part in their success, Norwich City F.C. finished the season in ninth place out of 24 teams and is far above the teams in the relegation zone.
Ahmed is enjoying his time in England, as he said he is “loving it” according to the Canadian Soccer Daily website. He also talked about how his game has improved in England, according to the Canadian Press:
“The pace of play, the power of play, the speed of the ball. Everything is just sharp and fast,” Ahmed said of playing in England. “It’s everything he’s been emphasizing to us.”
This is something Ahmed has learned in England. He then took that experience to the CANMNT in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
CANMNT (2023-Present)
Ahmed made 27 appearances for the team and scored one goal during that time period. His first-ever game was against Guadeloupe in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.
He scored his first-ever goal and also earned an assist against Romania on September 5, 2025. Ahmed has played really well this year; this included stepping up and creating scoring chances for his teammates in the 2-2 draw against Iceland.
READ MORE: Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina: Group B Opener
Ahmed was also excited about playing for his country on home soil, as this is what he said before the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to CTV News YouTube Account:
READ MORE: Azzedine Ounahi Shines as Morocco Tops Canada
Then, at the FIFA World Cup (Men’s), Ahmed played exceptionally well against Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver, as he created consistent scoring chances for his team and himself. He was also probably one of Canada’s best players in the 3-0 loss to Morocco.
CANMNT head coach, Jesse Marsch, really admires and likes Ali Ahmed’s game, as he said this according to Chris Jones of CBC Sports:
“I would argue that Ali understands how we play better than anyone on the entire team, tactically and intellectually,” Marsch said. “I value Ali as a player maybe more than any coach he’s ever had, because he understands exactly what I need from players who play in his spot.”
This shows the value Ahmed brings to the national team, as he has made a meaningful impact on the team.
READ MORE: Nathan Saliba: A Promising CANMNT Midfielder
What Is Next for the CANMNT
READ MORE: Jacob Shaffelburg: The Maritime Messi
For the CANMNT, the goal now is to win either and/or the Concacaf Nations League and/or the Concacaf Gold Cup at least once. They have the players to do it; the question is, can they succeed?
One should expect Ahmed to have an instrumental role in that. He will also continue to play an important role for Norwich City F.C. in the English Championship.
Photo Credit: Canada Soccer Association’s Flickr Account by Scottie, of an Ali Ahmed Headshot, on July 1, 2023 (Uploaded on July 2, 2023).
