Jake Gleeson facts for kids
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Gleeson in November 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jacob Christopher Gleeson | ||
| Date of birth | 26 June 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Palmerston North, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2008 | Western Suburbs FC | ||
| 2008–2010 | Team Wellington | 5 | (0) |
| 2010 | Portland Timbers U23s | 15 | (0) |
| 2011–2018 | Portland Timbers | 59 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Sacramento Republic (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Portland Timbers 2 (loan) | 20 | (0) |
| Total | 116 | (0) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007 | New Zealand U17 | 5 | (0) |
| 2008 | New Zealand U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2012 | New Zealand U23 | 3 | (0) |
| 2011–2014 | New Zealand | 8 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 November 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2014 |
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Jacob Christopher Gleeson (born on June 26, 1990) is a former professional footballer from New Zealand. He played as a goalkeeper for the American club Portland Timbers.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in New Zealand
Gleeson began his football journey with Western Suburbs FC. This team played in the Central Premier League in New Zealand.
After showing great skill at the 2007 Under-17 World Cup in South Korea, Gleeson got a special chance. He was invited to try out for famous English clubs, Manchester United and Everton. He impressed the coaches at both clubs. Even though he didn't get a contract, Manchester United's goalkeeping coach spoke highly of him.
In 2008, Gleeson joined Team Wellington, a team in a higher league called the ASB Championship. He played for them for two years.
Joining the Portland Timbers
In 2010, Gleeson had a trial with Seattle Sounders FC. However, he chose to sign with the Portland Timbers instead. The Timbers were getting ready to join Major League Soccer (MLS). He trained with their main team but played for their younger team, Portland Timbers U23s.
Gleeson helped the Timbers U-23 squad become champions of the PDL in his first season. The team had an amazing record, winning all 20 of their games. They were the first PDL team to win a championship without losing any games.
On February 17, 2011, Gleeson officially signed with the Major League Soccer Portland Timbers. He made his first MLS appearance on March 26, 2011. This was against Toronto FC.
Gleeson started the first-ever MLS home game for the Timbers. He played the whole game, helping his team win 4-2 against the Chicago Fire. He quickly became known for making important saves.
Loan to Sacramento Republic FC
In 2014, Gleeson was loaned to Sacramento Republic FC. He played 17 games for them. He helped Sacramento win the USL Pro Championship that year.
Becoming a Starter
At the start of the 2016 season, Gleeson was a backup goalkeeper. But he quickly became the main starter when the first-choice goalkeeper got injured. Gleeson played very well. He made 70 saves and helped the Timbers get three shutout wins.
Gleeson's career ended in 2018 due to several surgeries on his right shin. He had many operations because of complications.
Playing for New Zealand
Gleeson played for New Zealand's national teams at different age levels.
- In 2007, he helped the New Zealand U-17 team win the Oceania Football Confederation championship. This earned them a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea.
- In 2008, he helped the U-20 team finish third in their OFC championship tournament.
Gleeson was first called up to the senior New Zealand team in March 2011. This was for a friendly match against China. However, he had to withdraw because of injuries to other goalkeepers on his club team, the Portland Timbers.
He made his first full international appearance on June 5, 2011. This was in a friendly match against Australia. He played for the last 13 minutes of the game.
Career Statistics
International Games
| New Zealand national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Games Played | Goals Scored |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 0 |
Achievements
Club Honors
- Portland Timbers U23s
- USL PDL Champions: 2010
- USL PDL Regular Season Champion: 2010
- USL PDL Western Conference Champion: 2010
- USL PDL Northwest Division Champion: 2010
- Sacramento Republic FC
- USL Pro Championship: 2014
- Portland Timbers
- MLS Cup: 2015
- Western Conference (playoffs): 2015
See also
In Spanish: Jake Gleeson para niños
- List of current MLS players with national team caps
