Tom Davies (footballer, born 1998)
An Everton academy graduate who became a passionate midfield heartbeat for his boyhood club, captaining the side while still a teenager.
Born 1998 (age 28)·English association football player·Birthday: June 30·Generation Z
Biography
Tom Davies is a footballer who wears his heart on his sleeve, a product of Everton's Finch Farm academy who dreamed of playing for the first team. He burst onto the scene not with flashy transfers, but with a debut goal against Southampton in 2016 that announced a fearless, energetic talent. His breakout moment came in a 4–0 thrashing of Manchester City in 2017, where his relentless running and a stunning solo goal—capped with a knee-slide celebration in front of the Gwladys Street End—made him an instant fan favorite. At just 20 years old, he was handed the captain's armband for a match, embodying the club's connection to its local roots. Davies's game is defined by industry and tenacity rather than pure finesse; he covers ground, wins tackles, and drives the team forward. His journey from ball boy to captain symbolizes a increasingly rare path in modern football: the local lad made good.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Tom was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tom Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Tom's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made his Premier League debut for Everton in April 2016 and scored his first goal in the same season.
- Captained Everton for the first time in a League Cup match in October 2018 at the age of 20.
- Was a key part of the England squad that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2017.
Did You Know?
He comes from a family of Everton supporters; his great-uncle is former Everton player and manager Alan Whittle.
He famously wears his socks low around his ankles, a distinctive style choice in the modern game.
He served as a ball boy at Goodison Park before joining the club's academy system.
“I play for the badge and for the people in the stands.”
