Jacob Shaffelburg

Jacob Everett Shaffelburg (born November 26, 1999) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC and the Canada national team.

Early life Shaffelburg played youth soccer for Valley United SC and Team Nova Scotia. In 2012, he joined FC Nashville Heroes, where he played in the 2012 U.S. Club Soccer National Cup. In January 2014, he joined the Sporting Kansas City Academy, where he played for a month. He played an instrumental part in the team, scoring four goals in two games in the NEPSAC playoffs his senior year (2018), helping Berkshire win their fifth title in seven years and he was named 2017–18 Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Soccer Player of the Year. While in the US, he also played youth soccer with Manhattan SC where he won U.S. Club Soccer U-16 National Championship in 2016.

He joined the Toronto FC Academy in 2016. He appeared in a friendly for the HFX Wanderers FC Atlantic Selects team in 2018 against Fortuna Düsseldorf's U-21 team, where he scored a goal. He had originally committed to the University of Virginia on a soccer scholarship, but ultimately decided to sign a professional contract instead.

Club career Toronto FC II He played a game with Toronto FC III in League1 Ontario in 2017.

Toronto FC In November 2018, he signed his first professional contract with Toronto FC II

Shaffelburg made his first appearance for Toronto FC in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League on February 19, 2019, and then signed with Toronto FC as a Homegrown Player on June 21, 2019. Four days later, on June 26, he had his first start for Toronto FC at BMO Field scoring an assist in a 3–2 win against Atlanta United FC, setting up the fastest goal in TFC history only 29 seconds into the game. Shaffelburg would quickly find himself in the starting lineup shortly after signing, earning rave reviews for his pace from the coaching staff. Teammate Richie Laryea, who joined Toronto FC from Orlando City in 2019, has said that Shaffelburg's rise coincided with several senior players departing for Gold Cup duty that summer, opening a window for younger players to make an impression, and that Shaffelburg's pace and left foot stood out immediately.

He scored his first goal in the 74th minute on May 15, 2021, in a 1–1 draw against New York City. On September 3, he was loaned to Toronto FC II. Upon completion of the 2021 season, Shaffelburg's option for the 2022 season would be picked up by Toronto. He went on a short loan to the second team again in 2022. Shaffelburg's playing time decreased significantly in 2022 following the arrivals of Italian wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi; he has since said he was regularly left out of both squads in intra-squad training scrimmages during this period and doubted whether he would continue playing professionally, at points considering a move back to Nova Scotia to play for the Halifax Wanderers FC to be closer to his family. He made his debut for Nashville on August 21 against FC Dallas and scored a goal in a 4–0 victory. After the season, Nashville exercised the purchase option for the 2023 season and signed him to a four-year contract extension with a club option for 2027. Shaffelburg has since described the move to Nashville as a turning point in his career, saying "Nashville saved my career."

International career

Youth Shaffelburg was named to the Canadian U-23 provisional roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship on February 26, 2020.

Senior Shaffelburg received his first senior international call-up to Canada on January 3, 2020, for matches against Barbados and Iceland. On January 10, 2020, he made his debut as a substitute against Barbados.

In June 2023, Shaffelburg was called up to Canada's squad for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. On July 9 he scored his first goal for Canada during the quarter-finals of the tournament against the United States. The match ended in a 2–2 draw, though Canada lost 3–2 in the ensuing penalty shoot-out.

In June 2024, Shaffelburg was named in Canada's 26-man roster for the 2024 Copa América. In the tournament opener, Shaffelburg troubled Argentina's back line for extended stretches of the match without scoring. In their quarter-final victory against Venezuela, he scored for Canada in a 1–1 draw, converting on his weaker right foot after David drew defenders and squared the ball to him; the goal, and his tournament performance broadly, earned Shaffelburg the nickname "Maritime Messi".

Personal life Shaffelburg was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, but grew up in the nearby village of Port Williams, home to about 1,100 people, and is the youngest of three siblings; his sister, Jessica, played college soccer for Jacksonville University, and his brother, Zach, played for Acadia University before becoming a rheumatologist in Lunenburg. He and his wife, Robyne, have two children, daughter Daisy and son Baker; Shaffelburg has described becoming a father as a "surreal" change for the better. + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals Toronto FC III 2017 League1 Ontario

Black Rock FC 2018 PDL

Toronto FC II 2019 USL League One

2019

2020

2021

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.

Nashville SC U.S. Open Cup: 2025

Individual Canadian Championship Best Young Canadian Player Award: 2021