The Canadian men’s national team has named a replacement for the injured Marcelo Flores.
Midfielder Jayden Nelson is set to join Canada’s 26-man roster for the FIFA World Cup, the team announced Tuesday.
Nelson, 23, has been with the team in the lead-up to the World Cup, playing in both friendly tune-up games against Ireland and Uzbekistan. He scored for Canada in the 90th minute in the 2-0 win over Uzbekistan after coming on as a substitute at half-time.
The Brampton, Ont., native has 15 caps with the senior men’s national team after debuting in early 2020 as a 17-year-old. He has three goals in those appearances.
Nelson plays his club soccer with Austin FC in MLS and has two goals in 10 appearances this season. He was sold to Austin by the Vancouver Whitecaps in December.
His professional soccer career began at Toronto FC Academy, and he rose through the ranks before eventually making his MLS debut with TFC in September 2020.
Flores, meanwhile, suffered a ruptured ACL on May 31 — just after being selected for the CANMNT on May 29 — in the Concacaf Champions Cup final playing for club team Tigres UNAL against Toluca.
He went down in the 77th minute and left the field in tears as Tigres fell to Toluca in a shootout.
Flores has made just two appearances for the national team — both in March’s international window — after switching his allegiance from Mexico in November.
Canada will kick off its home-soil World Cup on June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina.