TORONTO — Jayden Nelson will replace injured midfielder Marcelo Flores on Canada’s roster at the FIFA World Cup, Canada Soccer said Tuesday.
Flores was ruled out for the tournament after suffering a serious knee injury on May 30. Nelson was one of three cuts who remained with the Canadian men’s national team after the initial 26-man roster was announced.
“I’m just excited to start and to show the world what I can do,” Nelson said.
Canada opens the tournament Friday against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto before shifting to Vancouver for group-stage matches against Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24.
Nelson, a 23-year-old winger from Brampton, Ont., has two goals over 10 Major League Soccer games with Austin FC this season.
He has scored three times in 14 appearances for Canada’s senior team, including a stoppage-time goal in a 2-0 friendly win over Uzbekistan last week in Edmonton.
“He’s been really sharp, he deserves it,” said Canadian winger Liam Millar. " He’s been really good in training, really good in the games. He’s really aggressive one (on one). We need that.
“We need players who are willing to take risks and willing to do whatever it takes for us to get a goal.”
Nelson changed teams ahead of the MLS season in a bid to make Canada’s World Cup squad. He spent last season with the Vancouver Whitecaps, registering two goals and six assists over 23 regular-season appearances.
As players returned from injury later in the season, though, the five-foot-seven winger struggled to get starts. The Whitecaps dealt him to Austin FC in December, hoping to find him a home where he could play more minutes and make his World Cup case.
“I think I’m a creative player,” Nelson said. “I’m able to create chances and I think in a World Cup you need that.”
Nelson came up through Toronto FC’s academy and played three seasons for the MLS club before moving to Norwegian side Rosenborg in January 2023. The Whitecaps then picked the young Canadian up from Rosenborg in January 2025.
Flores, a 22-year-old winger from Georgetown, Ont., underwent surgery last Friday after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup with Mexican club Tigres UNAL.
More roster changes could be on the horizon as Canada coach Jesse Marsch continues to monitor key defender Moïse Bombito, who participated in modified training at the TFC training grounds.
Left back Alphonso Davies and defender Ralph Priso, both nursing hamstring injuries, were again in ‘return to play’ mode. Their training included some running sessions and lighter drills while the main squad worked out nearby.
Marsch said Canada is taking Bombito’s situation day by day and will give him until the very last minute as he works his way back from a fractured tibia sustained in October.
The 26-year-old centre back from Montreal played just 30 minutes against Uzbekistan before limping off and icing his leg. He then stayed on the bench in Canada’s 1-1 draw with Ireland last Friday.
Teams can replace any injured player on the roster up to 24 hours before the first game kicks off.
Bosnia, ranked 64th in the FIFA rankings, reached the World Cup by beating No. 12 Italy in a European qualifier last March. No. 30 Canada has an automatic berth as a tournament co-host.
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