Ben Nelson (footballer, born 2004)

Ben Nelson

Personal information
Birth name	Benjamin Harvey Nelson [1]
Date of birth	(2004-03-18) 18 March 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Northampton, England
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Oxford United (on loan from Leicester City)
Number	16
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–	Leicester City	5	(1)
2022–2023	→ Rochdale (loan)	10	(0)
2023	→ Doncaster Rovers (loan)	15	(0)
2024–	→ Oxford United (loan)	8	(0)
International career‡
2020	Scotland U16	1	(0)
2021–2022	England U18	6	(0)
2022–2023	England U19	5	(0)
2024–	England U20	5	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:30, 5 November 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:34, 16 December 2024 (UTC)

Benjamin Harvey Nelson (born 18 March 2004) ^[2] is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or left-back for EFL Championship club Oxford United, on loan from Premier League club Leicester City.

Club career

In the 2020–21 season, Nelson featured in a first-team squad during Leicester City's UEFA Europa League campaign. ^[3] He was named Academy Player of the Season at the end of the season. ^[2]

On 28 July 2022, Nelson joined EFL League Two side Rochdale on a season-long loan. ^{[4] [5]} He was recalled from his loan on 6 January 2023. ^[6] Later that month he joined Doncaster Rovers on loan for the remainder of the season. ^[7]

In the 2023–24 season, Nelson was promoted to the first team. ^[8] On 29 August 2023, he made his senior debut for Leicester as an 82nd-minute substitute for James Justin in a 2–0 away win over Tranmere Rovers in the Second Round of the EFL Cup. On 8 December 2023, he signed a new contract until 2027. ^[9] On 9 December 2023, he made his league debut in the EFL Championship for Leicester as an 81st-minute substitute for Jannik Vestergaard in a 4–0 win against Plymouth Argyle. ^[10] On 2 March 2024, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 league defeat against Queens Park Rangers. ^[11]

On 30 August 2024, Nelson signed for Championship side Oxford United on a season-long loan. ^[12] On 5 November 2024, he tore tendons in his quadriceps muscle during United's 1-0 win against Hull City. ^[13]

International career

Nelson is eligible to play for either England or Scotland. After making one appearance for Scotland's under-16 team, ^[14] he made his England U18 debut starting in a 3–2 defeat against the Netherlands on 11 November 2021. ^[15]

On 21 September 2022, Nelson made his England U19 debut during a 2–0 2023 U19 EURO qualifying win over Montenegro. ^[16]

On 22 March 2024, Nelson made a goalscoring debut for the England Elite League squad during a 5-1 win over Poland at the Bialystok City Stadium. ^[17]

Career statistics

As of match played 5 November 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Leicester City U21	2020–21 [18]	—			—		—		2 [a]	0	2	0
	2021–22 [19]	—			—		—		1 [a]	0	1	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	0
Leicester City	2023–24 [20]	Championship	5	1	2	0	1	0	—		8	1
Rochdale (loan)	2022–23 [21]	League Two	10	0	0	0	1	0	1 [a]	0	12	0
Doncaster Rovers (loan)	2022–23 [21]	League Two	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Oxford United (loan)	2024–25 [22]	Championship	8	0	0	0	0	0	—		8	0
Career total			38	1	2	0	2	0	4	0	43	1

1. Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Leicester City

• EFL Championship: 2023–24 ^[23]

References

1. "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League . 10 September 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
2. "Ben Nelson". Leicester City F.C. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
3. Chowdhury, Saj (3 December 2020). "Zorya Luhansk 1-0 Leicester City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
4. "Young Defender Ben Nelson Joins Rochdale On Loan". Leicester City FC. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
5. "Ben Nelson: Rochdale sign teenage Leicester City defender on loan". BBC Sport. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
6. "Nelson & Tulloch Return To Parent Clubs". Rochdale AFC. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
7. "Doncaster sign Leicester's Ben Nelson and Blackburn's James Brown on loan". BBC Sport. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
8. "Leicester City squad numbers revealed as Stephy Mavididi gets 10 amid two gaps for new signings". Leicester Mercury. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
9. "Young Defender Ben Nelson Joins Rochdale On Loan". Leicester City FC. 8 December 2023.
10. "Leicester City 4-0 Plymouth Argyle - Patson Daka scored on return to Foxes side". BBC Sport. 9 December 2023.
11. "Leicester City 1-2 Queens Park Rangers". BBC Sport. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
12. "Ben Nelson Signs On Deadline Day For Oxford United | Oxford United Football Club". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
13. "Leicester City loanee faces up to four months out with injury". Oxford Mail. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
14. "Ben Nelson". Scottish FA. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
15. Smith, Frank (11 November 2021). "England MU18s 2-3 Netherlands". England Football. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
16. Smith, Frank (21 September 2022). "Report: England MU19s 2-0 Montenegro". England Football. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
17. "Report: Poland 1-5 England Elite League Squad". England Football. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
18. "Games played by Ben Nelson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
19. "Games played by Ben Nelson in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
20. "Games played by Ben Nelson in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
21. "Games played by Ben Nelson in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
22. "Games played by Ben Nelson in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
23. "Championship: 2023/24: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
    "Leicester: Squad details: 2023/24". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2024.

External links

• Ben Nelson at Soccerway