![]() Nelson in 2020 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | September 26, 2002 | ||
Place of birth | Brampton, Ontario, Canada | ||
Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
Position(s) | Winger | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | ||
Number | 7 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2016 | Brampton YSC | ||
2016–2018 | Toronto FC | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2017–2018 | Toronto FC III | 8 | (1) |
2018–2019 | Toronto FC II | 14 | (0) |
2020–2022 | Toronto FC | 45 | (1) |
2021 | → Toronto FC II (loan) | 9 | (3) |
2023–2025 | Rosenborg | 35 | (5) |
2024–2025 | → SSV Ulm (loan) | 6 | (0) |
2025– | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 0 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2017 | Canada U15 | 4 | (0) |
2019 | Canada U17 | 9 | (5) |
2020– | Canada | 5 | (2) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 4, 2023 |
Jayden Nelson (born September 26, 2002) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Canadian MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the Canada national team.
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]
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]
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]
Nelson joined 2. Bundesliga club SSV Ulm on loan in August 2024. [23] Ulm also secured an option to sign him permanently. [23]
On January 24, 2025, Nelson returned to Canada, signing with Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The contract is for a transfer through 2028 with an option for the following year. [24]
Nelson attended his first Canadian youth camp in 2016. [25] 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. [26] 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. [27] At the end of 2019, Nelson was named the Canadian Men's Youth International Player of the Year. [28] [29]
Nelson was named to the Canadian U-23 provisional roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship on February 26, 2020. [30]
In January 2020, Nelson was called up to the Canadian senior team ahead of friendlies against Barbados and Iceland. [31] He made his debut on January 7 against Barbados, coming on as a substitute in a 4–1 victory [32] and scored his first goal three days later, also against Barbados. [33] [34]
In June 2023, Nelson was named to Canada's preliminary roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. [35] 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. [36]
Jayden was born in Canada and is of Jamaican descent. [37] In 2022, Nelson made a donation to his former elementary school to restart a snack program which had been discontinued. [38]
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Toronto FC III | 2017 [5] | League1 Ontario | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
2018 [6] | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |||||
Total | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |||||
Toronto FC II | 2019 | USL League One | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||||
2021 | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | ||||||
Total | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 3 | ||
Toronto FC | 2020 | Major League Soccer | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 [a] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
2021 | 7 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
2022 | 31 | 1 | — | 4 [b] | 0 | — | — | 35 | 1 | |||||
Total | 45 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 1 | ||
Rosenborg | 2023 | Eliteserien | 24 | 4 | — | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | 30 | 6 | ||
2024 | 11 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | ||||
Total | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 8 | ||
SSV Ulm (loan) | 2024–25 | 2. Bundesliga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2025 | MLS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career total | 116 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 132 | 13 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Canada | 2020 | 3 | 1 |
2021 | 0 | 0 | |
2022 | 1 | 0 | |
2023 | 1 | 1 | |
Total | 5 | 2 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | January 10, 2020 | Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, United States | ![]() | 4–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
2 | July 4, 2023 | Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States | ![]() | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
Toronto FC
Individual