Canadian soccer player
Jayden Nelson (born September 26, 2002) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Rosenborg and the Canada national team .
Early life
Nelson grew up in Brampton, Ontario [1] and began playing soccer at age four with Brampton YSC.[2] He later joined the Toronto FC Academy at age 14.[3] [4]
Club career
Toronto FC
Nelson made his debut for Toronto FC III in League1 Ontario on September 2, 2017, in a game against Toronto Skillz FC in his only appearance of the season.[5] The following season, he made seven appearances,[6] scoring his first goal for Toronto FC III on June 17, 2018, against Windsor TFC .[7]
Nelson made his professional debut for Toronto FC II in USL League One on April 6, 2019, coming on as a substitute against Orlando City B .[8]
On January 23, 2020, Nelson signed a Homegrown Player contract with first-team Toronto FC .[9] [10] He made his MLS debut for Toronto during the MLS is Back tournament, starting their round of 16 match against New York City FC .[11] He was loaned to the second team for some matches in 2021.[12] [13] He scored his first professional goal for Toronto FC II on June 16, 2021, against Fort Lauderdale CF .[14]
In December 2021, after the conclusion of the 2021 MLS season , Nelson joined Belgian club Anderlecht for a training stint.[15] He scored his first MLS goal on April 9, 2022, against Real Salt Lake .[16] [17] [18]
Rosenborg
In February 2023, Toronto announced they had transferred Nelson to Eliteserien side Rosenborg .[19] [20] He made his official debut on April 16 against Molde .[21] Nelson scored his first goal for his new club on June 4 against HamKam , netting the third goal in an eventual 4-0 victory.[22]
International career
Youth
Nelson attended his first Canadian youth camp in 2016.[23] Nelson made his debut for the Canada national under-15 team in the 2017 CONCACAF Boys' Under-15 Championship on August 13, 2017, against the United States .[2]
Nelson made his debut for the Canada national under-17 team in the 2019 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship on May 2, 2019, against the United States .[2] Against Guatemala in the second game of the group stage, Nelson scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 win.[24] Nelson scored twice more in the tournament – against Curaçao and Costa Rica respectively – as Canada qualified for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup for the first time since 2013.[25] At the end of 2019, Nelson was named the Canadian Men's Youth International Player of the Year .[26] [27]
Nelson was named to the Canadian U-23 provisional roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship on February 26, 2020.[28]
Senior
In January 2020, Nelson was called up to the Canadian senior team ahead of friendlies against Barbados and Iceland .[29] He made his debut on January 7 against Barbados, coming on as a substitute in a 4–1 victory[30] and scored his first goal three days later, also against Barbados.[31] [32]
In June 2023 Nelson was named to Canada's preliminary roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup .[33] Initially left off the roster, on June 26 he was called into the final squad along with Liam Fraser as replacements for Sam Adekugbe and Stephen Eustáquio .[34]
Personal life
Jayden was born in Canada and is of Jamaican descent.[35] In 2022, Nelson made a donation to his former elementary school to restart a snack program which had been discontinued.[36]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 2 June 2024 [37]
International
As of match played July 4, 2023
Canada
Year
Apps
Goals
2020
3
1
2021
0
0
2022
1
0
2023
1
1
Total
5
2
International goals
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
Honours
Toronto FC
Individual
References
^ "Nelson says new-look TFC has more of a family feel" . Sportsnet . March 2, 2022.
^ a b c Jayden Nelson at the Canadian Soccer Association
^ Galindo, Peter (May 13, 2016). "Tactical breakdown: Jayden Nelson still a work in progress for Toronto FC" . TFC Republic .
^ "Jayden Nelson profile" . ATG Sports Management .
^ a b "Jayden Nelson 2017 L1O Stats" . League1 Ontario .
^ a b "Jayden Nelson 2018 L1O Stats" . League1 Ontario .
^ Cheng, Jonathan (June 18, 2018). "TFC III Maintain First Spot By Hammering Windsor TFC 10-0" . League1 Ontario .
^ "Toronto FC signs Academy Product Jayden Nelson to first team" . Toronto FC . January 23, 2020.
^ Bogert, Tom (January 23, 2020). "Toronto FC sign Canada national team midfielder Jayden Nelson to Homegrown deal" . Major League Soccer .
^ Davidson, Neil (January 23, 2020). "Toronto FC signs another talented teenager as 17-year-old Jayden Nelson joins first team" . Toronto Star .
^ "Ayo Akinola misses Toronto FC's Round of 16 match as 17-year-old Jayden Nelson starts" . Major League Soccer . July 26, 2020.
^ "Toronto FC loan three players to Toronto FC II" . Toronto FC . June 9, 2021.
^ Singh, Michael (June 9, 2021). "Ralph Priso, Jayden Nelson, Kevin Silva loaned to Toronto FC II" . Waking the Red .
^ Steiner, Ben. "TFC II battle to a compelling draw with Fort Lauderdale" . Waking the Red .
^ "Vidéo: Anderlecht a testé deux joueurs contre les espoirs du RWDM" [Video: Anderlecht tested two players against RWDM hopefuls]. Anderlecht Online (in French). December 9, 2021.
^ "Nelson's highlight-reel goal lifts TFC into draw with RSL" . TSN . April 9, 2022.
^ Butler, Dylan (April 10, 2022). "Could Jayden Nelson's first Toronto FC goal spark CanMNT World Cup roster consideration?" . Major League Soccer .
^ Becherano, Lizzy (April 11, 2022). "Jayden Nelson earns Bob Bradley praise and sparks CanMNT conversation" . 90 min .
^ "Toronto FC transfer Jayden Nelson to Rosenborg BK" . Toronto FC . February 8, 2023.
^ Veth, Manuel (February 8, 2023). "Jayden Nelson joins Rosenborg BK - Among 10 most valuable CanMNT players" . Transfermarkt .
^ Galindo, Peter (April 24, 2023). "Canadians Abroad Roundup: How Alphonso Davies' injury impacts Canada's summer plans" . Canadian Soccer Daily .
^ "DEILIG OPPTUR MOT HAMKAM" . Rosenborg . June 4, 2023.
^ Davidson, Neil (January 15, 2020). "Toronto FC teenage forward Jayden Nelson continues to turn heads with Canada" . CBC Sports .
^ Baer, Benjamin (May 4, 2019). "Toronto FC's Jayden Nelson leads Canada U-17s over Guatemala" . Major League Soccer .
^ "Canada books spot at FIFA U-17 World Cup with dramatic shootout win over Costa Rica" . The Globe and Mail . May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
^ Butler, Dylan (December 10, 2019). "Toronto FC prospect Jayden Nelson named Canadian Youth International Player of the Year" . Major League Soccer .
^ Rhodes, Benedict (December 11, 2019). "TFC II's Jayden Nelson named 2019 Canadian Youth International Player of the Year" . Waking the Red .
^ "Canada Soccer announces Provisional List for Concacaf Men's Olympic Qualifying" . Canada Soccer. February 26, 2020. Archived from the original on March 9, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020 .
^ Jacques, John (January 3, 2020). "Tristan Borges Called Up To Canada National Team Ahead Of Three Friendlies" . Northern Tribune .
^ "HIGHLIGHTS: CanMNT begins 2020 with a win in friendly vs. Barbados" . Canadian Premier League . January 7, 2019.
^ "Canadian men's soccer comfortably dispatches Barbados in friendly rematch" . CBC Sports . January 10, 2020.
^ Buffery, Steve (April 10, 2022). "TFC's Nelson making a push to be considered for Canada's World Cup-bound team" . Toronto Sun .
^ "National team roster – 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup" (PDF) . June 1, 2023.
^ "Eustaquio, Adekugbe replaced by Nelson, Fraser for Canada at Gold Cup" . June 26, 2023.
^ "World Cup 2026: Meet the future North American stars dreaming of success" . BBC Sport . December 5, 2019.
^ Davidson, Neil (April 26, 2022). "Toronto FC teenager Jayden Nelson gives back to his Brampton elementary school" . Toronto Star .
^ Jayden Nelson at Soccerway
^ "At last, Toronto FC capture 2020 Canadian Championship over Forge FC" . Major League Soccer . June 4, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2022 .
External links
Young Player of the Year
U20 Player of the Year
U17 Player of the Year