Jonathan David pictured in 2021 | Instagram

Jonathan Christian David (born 14 January 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Lille in Ligue 1 and the Canada national team. David started playing soccer in Ottawa as youth for Ottawa Gloucester SC before going professional and moving to Europe when he began playing for Gent. He then moved to Lille, where he won the league and Trophee des Champions with the club in his first two seasons with the team.

As a Canadian citizen, David has been playing for Canada since the U-17 level. Born in Brooklyn, New York to Haitian parents, he was eligible to play for both the United States and Haiti, but declined offers to compete for the United States national team, choosing instead to continue playing for the country of his youth, Canada. David was named as the male Canadian Player of the Year in 2019.

David plays primarily as a second striker in a 4-4-2 or as an attacking midfielder down the left. As a second striker, in a partnership he plays just behind the other primary striker. David is able to find gaps in the defence and to attack these areas with his pace, noted for his high top speeds. He is also able to play short passes and combine with teammates to attack the goal area, he is able to play best with his tight control and sharp interplay between teammates. Due to his pace and speed, David is also effective on counterattacks.

Early Life and Career

David was born in New York City to Haitian parents, and moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, when he was three months old. At the age of six he and his parents emigrated from Haiti to Canada and settled in Ottawa. Growing up, David went to the Francophone public school École secondaire publique Louis-Riel. He cites this as a reason for his success: “It helped to always have the ball at my feet when I was at Louis Riel.”

David began playing organized soccer at age ten with Ottawa club Gloucester Dragons SA. A year later he joined Ottawa Gloucester SC, where he would play for the club’s Hornets team until 2015. In 2016, he joined Ottawa Internationals SC. Growing up, David never watched soccer in Canada or Major League Soccer. He had no desire to play professionally in North America. Instead, he was singularly focused on playing professionally in Europe.

In January 2018, David joined Belgian side Gent. He made his professional debut on August 4, 2018, against Zulte Waregem and scored a goal in stoppage time to salvage a 1–1 draw. Just five days after his league debut, David came in as a second-half substitute in a Europa League Third Round Qualifier against Jagiellonia Białystok, scoring a goal in the 85th minute to secure a 1–0 win for his team. David continued his scoring streak three days later, coming in as a 71st minute substitute and scoring two late goals to secure a 4–1 league win against Waasland-Beveren. After scoring five goals in his first five games, Gent signed David to a contract extension through 2022. He further extended his contract by a year to 2023 in September 2019. In the January 2020 transfer window, Gent chairman Ivan de Witte indicated there was significant interest in David from bigger clubs, with his value estimated at €20 million.

On August 11, 2020, Ligue 1 side Lille confirmed the signing of David on a five-year contract. The reported fee for David was €30 million, making him the most expensive Canadian transfer to date. He made his competitive debut for Lille on August 22 against Rennes in their Ligue 1 season opener. After a difficult start to the season, David scored his first goal for Lille on November 22 against Lorient, netting the final goal in a 4–0 victory.

After going scoreless in his previous seven games, David netted an extra-time winner against Reims to even Lille on points with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the top of the table. On February 3, 2021, David scored as Lille defeated Bordeaux by a score of 3–0. Continuing his run of form, David netted his first career Ligue 1 brace, scoring two goals on February 7 against Nantes. After only scoring two goals during the first half of the 2020–21 campaign, this brace marked David’s fifth goal in as many games. On April 3, he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 away win over PSG, to be Lille’s first away league win over the Parisians since April 1996.

On May 23, he scored a goal in a 2–1 away win over Angers, to win the 2020–21 Ligue 1 with Lille. David finished his first season with 13 league goals, with 11 coming since the turn of the year. This included the winner against PSG in a closely contested match at the Parc des Princes and a late double against Marseille, becoming an important player for Lille’s title charge and one of the league’s most in-form players.

International Career

David was first identified by the Canadian youth national team program in 2015 after attending several under-15 camps and was regularly called up to Canada under-17 camps in the lead-up to the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship. David subsequently represented Canada at the tournament and scored a brace against Suriname in the final group game. In May 2018, David was called up to the Canadian Under-21 team for the 2018 Toulon Tournament.

David received a call-up to the United States under-20 team by Tab Ramos in 2018. He declined the invitation to focus on his club career, and because his desire was to represent Canada.

David received his first senior call-up to Canada on August 30, 2018, for a CONCACAF Nations League qualifier against the U.S. Virgin Islands. He made his senior debut in the match on September 9, starting and netting a brace in an 8–0 victory. David was named to the final squad for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup on May 30, 2019. In Canada’s final group game during the tournament against Cuba, he scored a hat-trick in a 7–0 win. Despite Canada’s elimination to Haiti in the quarter-finals, David would finish the tournament as the Golden Boot winner with six goals.

After Canada’s 6–0 victory over Cuba on September 7, 2019, David set the record for most Canada senior international goals in a single year with eight in 2019. For his efforts, he was named the 2019 Canadian Men’s Player of the Year.

On June 8, 2021, David scored his second hat-trick for Canada in a 4–0 win over Suriname in a 2022 World Cup qualification match.

Family Life and Parents

David’s mother died in 2019 and his father currently lives in Canada for now.

The Canadian footballer has a sister who happens to be his one and only sibling. It appears Jonathan David’s parents must have had his sister in Haiti or Canada.

Wife/ Girlfriend

Jonathan David is currently and not currently dating or in any relationship for now. Jonathan David is also not yet married.

Net Worth and Salary

In August 2020 the attacking midfielder signed a contract with LOSC Lille that nets him a whopping salary of 2.5 Million Euro (2.24 Million Pound) per year. We have crunched the numbers, this means he earns €12,393 (£11,328) per day and €516 (£472) per hour!.

Jonathan David’s net worth as of 2021 is estimated to be around $3 million – $15 million (net worth estimated in 2021).

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