World Cup 2022: Gary Lineker doubles down on 'incorrect' Alphonso Davies claim | OneFootball

Gary Lineker has doubled down on his recent post about Alphonso Davies being the first Canadian player to score at a World Cup.

The Bayern Munich star netted a huge milestone goal against Croatia on Sunday, but the occasion was bittersweet as the Maple Leafs went on to lose 4-1.

The defeat to the 2018 runners-up saw Canada knocked out of their first men’s World Cup in 36 years.

Did Alphonso Davies score Canada’s first World Cup goal?

Davies did indeed make history against Croatia, becoming the first male player to score for Canada at a World Cup.

While this was a huge moment for John Herman’s side and for Davies himself, the statistic that he was the first Canadian player in history to net a World Cup goal is incorrect.

Canada Women have been competing at the World Cup since 1995 and Helen Stoumbos scored the first goal of that tournament to make history for her country.

The Canucks have qualified for every World Cup since, recording their best finish in 2003 when they came fourth. The women have scored 34 goals in the seven tournaments they have competed in since its inception.

What did Gary Lineker say?

Lineker took to Twitter to applaud Davies’ goal but it wasn’t long before fans were calling him out on his wording.

“The first goal Canada have ever scored at a World Cup is nodded home by the incredibly talented Alphonso Davies,” the Match of the Day presenter wrote.

“Incorrect. So wildly incorrect,” one supporter replied.

Another Twitter user then corrected him by stating Davies was the first Canadian to score in the men’s tournament only.

Lineker responded with an eye-rolling emoji, to which they responded: “Roll your eyes all you want Gary. You have a massive following, hold yourself to a standard that doesn’t erase women.”

Another also followed up with the comment: “Poor from you, Gary.”

Lineker directly replied to this, and doubled down on his initial post about Davies.

“No it’s not. If there was a women’s WC going on at the same time as a men’s WC it would be, but there isn’t.

“I won’t say ‘women’s’ World Cup either when that takes place. It’s football, they’re both World Cups in their own rights.”

Of course, it is a very healthy outlook to view the men’s and women’s tournaments as one entity, but that only means Lineker’s initial statement has been debunked by his own logic.

Nothing takes away from what Davies has achieved in Qatar, but he is not the first player in history to score for Canada in the World Cup.