# Jayden Nelson

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.

## Early life

Nelson grew up in Brampton, Ontario and began playing soccer at age four with Brampton YSC. He later joined the Toronto FC Academy at age 14.

## 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. The following season, he made seven appearances, scoring his first goal for Toronto FC III on June 17, 2018, against Windsor TFC.
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.
On January 23, 2020, Nelson signed a Homegrown Player contract with first-team Toronto FC. He made his MLS debut for Toronto during the MLS is Back tournament, starting their round of 16 match against New York City FC. He was loaned to the second team for some matches in 2021. He scored his first professional goal for Toronto FC II on June 16, 2021, against Fort Lauderdale CF.
In December 2021, after the conclusion of the 2021 MLS season, Nelson joined Belgian club Anderlecht for a training stint. He scored his first MLS goal on April 9, 2022, against Real Salt Lake.

### Rosenborg

In February 2023, Toronto announced they had transferred Nelson to Eliteserien side Rosenborg. He made his official debut on April 16 against Molde. Nelson scored his first goal for his new club on June 4 against HamKam, netting the third goal in an eventual 4–0 victory.
Nelson joined 2. Bundesliga club SSV Ulm on loan in August 2024. Ulm also secured an option to sign him permanently.

### Whitecaps FC

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. In Nelson's MLS debut with the Whitecaps, he would get a goal and three assists against the Portland Timbers.

## International career
### Youth

Nelson attended his first Canadian youth camp in 2016. 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.
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. Against Guatemala in the second game of the group stage, Nelson scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 win. 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. At the end of 2019, Nelson was named the Canadian Men's Youth International Player of the Year.
Nelson was named to the Canadian U-23 provisional roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship on February 26, 2020.

### Senior

In January 2020, Nelson was called up to the Canadian senior team ahead of friendlies against Barbados and Iceland. He made his debut on January 7 against Barbados, coming on as a substitute in a 4–1 victory and scored his first goal three days later, also against Barbados.
In June 2023, Nelson was named to Canada's preliminary roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. 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.

## Personal life

Jayden was born in Canada and is of Jamaican descent. In 2022, Nelson made a donation to his former elementary school to restart a snack program which had been discontinued.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played March 15, 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Playoffs | Playoffs | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Toronto FC III | 2017 | League1 Ontario | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Toronto FC III | 2018 | League1 Ontario | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| Toronto FC III | Total | Total | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Toronto FC II | 2019 | USL League One | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| Toronto FC II | 2021 | USL League One | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 3 |
| Toronto FC II | Total | Total | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 3 |
| Toronto FC | 2020 | MLS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Toronto FC | 2021 | MLS | 7 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| Toronto FC | 2022 | MLS | 31 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 35 | 1 |
| Toronto FC | Total | Total | 45 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 1 |
| Rosenborg | 2023 | Eliteserien | 24 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 30 | 6 |
| Rosenborg | 2024 | Eliteserien | 11 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 2 |
| Rosenborg | Total | 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 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 119 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 137 | 14 |
* ↑ Appearance in MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage
* ↑ Includes appearance in 2020 Canadian Championship final (played in 2022)

### International

    As of match played July 4, 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Canada | 2020 | 3 | 1 |
| Canada | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Canada | 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| Canada | 2023 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 5 | 2 |
    Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nelson goal.
List of international goals scored by Jayden Nelson :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | January 10, 2020 | Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, United States | Barbados | 4–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | July 4, 2023 | Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States | Cuba | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup |

## Honours

Toronto FC
* Canadian Championship: 2020
Individual
* Canadian Youth International Player of the Year: 2019