MONTREAL - Jonathan David can’t put his finger on exactly why he’s off to a flying start at Atlético Madrid.
asserted
he → put → Madrid
“Maybe it’s a breath of fresh air,” he suggested.
uncertain
he → ’ → air
“Maybe it helps that it’s a bit of a change of environment.”
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it → help → environment
One thing’s certain — the Canadian striker has found new life since joining the Spanish giants on a season-long, deadline-day loan, regaining his scoring form and confidence after a difficult debut season with Italy’s Juventus.
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striker → ’ → Juventus
David has three goals and one assist in three league games under manager Diego Simeone, including the game-winner in Atlético’s 2-1 derby victory over juggernaut Real Madrid on Sept. 20.
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David → have → Sept.
The 26-year-old from Ottawa has carried that confidence into the international break, scoring in Canada’s 1-0 friendly win over Chile last Saturday in Toronto to open a new four-year World Cup cycle.
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old → carry → cycle
That goal lifted his men’s national team record total to 43 goals — a number he could add to Saturday afternoon when Canada, ranked 30th, hosts No. 50 Peru at Montreal’s Stade Saputo.
uncertain
Canada → lift → Saputo
“It just clicked, really,” the soft-spoken David said of his Atlético success Thursday before a group of French- and English-speaking reporters at CF Montréal’s training centre.
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David → click → centre
“I play with a lot of players that have that quality to find the last pass.
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that → play → pass
They make it pretty simple for me, to be honest.
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it → make → me
All I have to do is finish.
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I → have → ?
Although David said he has no regrets about his move to Italy, finishing was proving to be a problem with Juventus.
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finishing → say → Juventus
He tallied just eight goals across 46 contests last season — this after scoring 109 in 232 appearances over five seasons with French side Lille.
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He → tally → Lille
David wasn’t at his best at this past summer’s World Cup either, scoring all three of his goals in a group-stage rout of Qatar in Canada’s run to the round of 16.
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David → score → 16
Canada coach Jesse Marsch said he made a sales pitch to both Atlético Madrid and its affiliate Atlético Ottawa of the Canadian Premier League to help facilitate a change of scenery during the summer transfer window.
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he → say → window
“I just said, look, I know Simeone from playing against him, from watching him over the years, and if you want an attacking player that can score goals and have a lot of quality and also work for the team and give everything he has to the team, I can’t think of a better striker than Jonathan David,” Marsch said this week.
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Marsch → say → David
“He’s fit in seamlessly, so that part’s been great.
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part → ’ → ?
We all know how good he is, so it’s good to see him have a good start.”
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him → know → start
Canadian wingback/defensive midfielder Niko Sigur believes a fresh start was all David needed to reignite his goal-scoring form.
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David → believe → form
“It was only a matter of time until he found his feet because he’s got too much quality to go too long without scoring goals,” Sigur said.
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Sigur → find → goals
“He probably just breathed some fresh air, found his feet again, probably some nice support from the club.
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He → breathe → club
“From what I’ve seen it’s been really good and hopefully he can continue that for us as well.”
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he → see → us
Atlético has the option to acquire David permanently from Juventus for 25 million euros (about C$40 million) at the end of the season.
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Atlético → have → season
SIGUR’S MOVE
Sigur, a 23-year-old from Burnaby, B.C., made his own transfer deadline-day move this summer, joining top-flight French side Toulouse on a $6.5 million transfer from Croatia’s Hajduk Split.
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Sigur → make → Split
“I think it was time, it was both from the club and myself that we were looking for a solution,” Sigur said.
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Sigur → think → solution
“I wanted to make a step up in my career and also to be able to help my club financially which was satisfying to both parties.”
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which → want → parties
SIZING UP PERU
Canada will face Peru for a fourth time, having won two previous meetings and losing the other.
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Canada → size → other
Canada prevailed 1-0 over Peru last time out at the 2024 Copa América.
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Canada → prevail → América
The men’s national team will honour longtime central midfielder Samuel Piette, who was called into camp for the first time since June 2024, before kickoff on Saturday.
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who → honour → Saturday
As soon as I arrived, he was always a good player too,” David said.
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David → arrive → ?
“I’ve really enjoyed playing with him because he’s a player who likes possession, who likes to play forward, who likes combinations.
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who → enjoy → combinations
That’s also my style of play.”
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That → ’ → play
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2026.
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report → publish → Press
The Aporia
