Jonathan David facts for kids
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David with Lille in 2024
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | January 14, 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Brooklyn, New York, United States | ||
| Height | 1.78 m | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Lille | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2011 | Gloucester Dragons | ||
| 2011–2015 | Ottawa Gloucester Hornets | ||
| 2016–2018 | Ottawa Internationals | ||
| 2018–2019 | Gent | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2018–2020 | Gent | 60 | (30) |
| 2020– | Lille | 164 | (82) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2017 | Canada U17 | 3 | (2) |
| 2018 | Canada U21 | 2 | (0) |
| 2018– | Canada | 59 | (31) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Jonathan Christian David (born January 14, 2000) is a professional soccer player. He plays as a forward for the Ligue 1 club Lille in France. He also plays for the Canada national team.
Jonathan was born in Brooklyn, United States. When he was a baby, his family moved to Haiti. At age six, they moved to Ottawa, Canada. He grew up in the French-speaking community of east Ottawa. He played for local youth clubs before moving to Belgium in 2018. There, he started his professional career with Gent. In 2019, Jonathan was named the best male soccer player in Canada.
After two seasons with Gent, Jonathan joined the French team Lille. This move cost about €30 million, making him the most expensive Canadian player transfer ever. In his first season with Lille, he helped them win the Ligue 1 title. He first played for Canada in September 2018. In November 2024, he became Canada's all-time top goalscorer.
Contents
Early Life and Soccer Start
Jonathan David was born in New York City. His parents are from Haiti. When he was three months old, his family moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At age six, they moved from Haiti to Ottawa, Canada. He went to a French public school called École secondaire publique Louis-Riel. He believes this school helped him succeed. He said it was great to always have a soccer ball at his feet there.
Jonathan started playing organized soccer at age ten. He joined the Gloucester Dragons SA club in Ottawa. A year later, he played for the Ottawa Gloucester SC Hornets team until 2015. In 2016, he joined Ottawa Internationals SC. Growing up, Jonathan watched European soccer. He did not want to play professionally in North America. His dream was to play in Europe. He thanks his youth coach, Hanny El-Magraby, for being a mentor. Coach El-Magraby helped him achieve his dream. Before joining Gent, Jonathan had tryouts with FC Salzburg and VfB Stuttgart. However, both teams did not sign him.
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Gent
In January 2018, Jonathan David joined Belgian First Division A team Gent. He played his first professional game on August 4, 2018. It was against Zulte Waregem. He scored a goal in the last moments to make it a 1–1 draw. Five days later, Jonathan played in a Europa League qualifier. He scored a goal in the 85th minute. This gave his team a 1–0 win against Jagiellonia Białystok.
Jonathan kept scoring goals. Three days later, he scored two late goals. This helped Gent win 4–1 against Waasland-Beveren. After scoring five goals in his first five games, Gent gave him a new contract until 2022. He extended his contract again in September 2019, until 2023. In January 2020, Gent's chairman said many big clubs were interested in Jonathan. His value was estimated at €20 million.
Joining Lille
Winning the Ligue 1 Title (2020–21)
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On August 11, 2020, Ligue 1 team Lille signed Jonathan David. He signed a five-year contract. The transfer fee was reported to be €30 million. This made him the most expensive Canadian player ever. He played his first game for Lille on August 22. It was against Rennes in their Ligue 1 season opener.
After a tough start, Jonathan scored his first goal for Lille on November 22. It was against Lorient. He scored the last goal in a 4–0 win. He then scored a winning goal against Reims. This put Lille tied on points with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the top of the league. On February 3, 2021, Jonathan scored as Lille beat Bordeaux 3–0.
He continued his great form. On February 7, he scored two goals against Nantes. This was his first time scoring two goals in a Ligue 1 game. He had only scored two goals in the first half of the season. These two goals meant he had scored five goals in five games. On April 3, he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 away win over PSG. This was Lille's first away league win against PSG since April 1996.
On May 23, he scored a goal in a 2–1 away win over Angers. This win helped Lille secure the 2020–21 Ligue 1 title. Jonathan finished his first season with 13 league goals. Eleven of these goals came after the new year. He became a very important player for Lille's title win. He was one of the best players in the league.
Recent Seasons (2021–Present)
On November 2, 2021, Jonathan scored his first UEFA Champions League goal. It was a penalty in a 2–1 away win over Sevilla. During the 2022–23 season, he scored 24 goals in Ligue 1. This was his personal best. He finished third on the top scorers list. Only Kylian Mbappé and Alexandre Lacazette scored more.
In the next season, he scored 19 goals. He finished as the joint-second top scorer. Again, only Kylian Mbappé scored more. On October 2, 2024, he scored a penalty in a 1–0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League. This ended Real Madrid's unbeaten streak since May 2023. On November 5, 2024, he scored a goal against Juventus. This made him Lille’s top scorer in European competitions with 13 goals.
International Career for Canada
Youth Teams
Jonathan David was first noticed by the Canadian youth national team in 2015. He attended several under-15 camps. He was often called up to Canada under-17 camps. This was before the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship. Jonathan played for Canada in that tournament. He scored two goals against Suriname in the last group game. In May 2018, Jonathan was called to the Canadian Under-21 team. This was for the 2018 Toulon Tournament.
In 2018, Jonathan was also invited to play for the United States under-20 team. He said no to this invitation. He wanted to focus on his club career. Also, he really wanted to play for Canada.
Senior National Team
Jonathan David was first called up to the senior Canada team on August 30, 2018. This was for a CONCACAF Nations League qualifier against the U.S. Virgin Islands. He played his first senior game on September 9. He started the match and scored two goals in an 8–0 victory.
On May 30, 2019, Jonathan was chosen for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. In Canada's last group game against Cuba, he scored three goals in a 7–0 win. Canada was knocked out by Haiti in the quarter-finals. However, Jonathan finished the tournament as the top scorer with six goals.
After Canada's 6–0 win over Cuba on September 7, 2019, Jonathan set a new record. He scored eight goals for Canada in a single year (2019). This was the most ever. Because of his great play, he was named the 2019 Canadian Men's Player of the Year.
On June 8, 2021, Jonathan scored his second hat-trick for Canada. It was in a 4–0 win over Suriname. This was a 2022 World Cup qualification match. By the end of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification games, Jonathan had scored nine goals. Five of these came in the final round. In November 2022, he was part of the 26-player squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In Canada's first match against Belgium, his teammate Alphonso Davies took a penalty kick instead of Jonathan. Jonathan was usually the team's best penalty taker. Davies' shot was saved. Canada lost the game 1–0. The team also lost their other matches against Croatia and Morocco. They finished second to last in the tournament.
In June 2023, Jonathan was named to Canada's squad for the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals. He scored Canada's first goal in their win over Panama in the semi-final. However, Canada lost 2–0 to the United States in the final.
In June 2024, he was chosen for Canada's squad for the 2024 Copa América. Before the tournament, the new coach, Jesse Marsch, said Jonathan would be the main penalty taker. In their second group game, Jonathan scored Canada's first ever goal at a Copa América. It was in a 1–0 win against Peru. This was Canada's first win in the competition. When their quarterfinal game against Venezuela went to penalty kicks, Jonathan scored Canada's first penalty. Canada won 4–3 after a 1–1 draw. Jonathan did not start Canada's third-place match against Uruguay. But he scored to give Canada a 2–1 lead in the 80th minute. After Luis Suarez scored late, Canada lost 4–3 on penalties. Jonathan scored his penalty in that shootout too.
On September 7, 2024, in a friendly game against the United States, he scored his 29th international goal. This made him Canada's joint all-time top men's scorer with teammate Cyle Larin. On October 15, 2024, both Jonathan and Cyle Larin scored their 30th international goal. This was in a friendly game against Panama national football team. On November 19, 2024, in a 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A game against Suriname, he scored his 31st goal. This made him Canada's sole all-time top men's scorer.
How Jonathan Plays
Jonathan David is a very flexible forward. He usually plays as a second striker. This means he plays just behind the main striker in a 4–4–2 formation. He can also play as an attacking midfielder. He is known for his ability to score goals.
As a second striker, he is good at finding open spaces in the defense. He uses his speed to attack these areas. He is known for being very fast. He can also make short passes and work with teammates to get to the goal. He plays best with his close ball control and quick passes. Because of his speed, Jonathan is also very good on counterattacks. He is also known for his smart play and his willingness to help defend. He works hard to win the ball back from opponents.
Personal Life
Jonathan is good friends with his Lille teammate Angel Gomes. He is also friends with former Lille player Timothy Weah.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Gent | 2018–19 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 43 | 14 | |
| 2019–20 | 27 | 18 | — | 13 | 5 | — | 40 | 23 | ||||
| Total | 60 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 7 | — | 83 | 37 | |||
| Lille | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 37 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 48 | 13 | |
| 2021–22 | 38 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 19 | ||
| 2022–23 | 37 | 24 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 40 | 26 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 34 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 4 | — | 47 | 26 | |||
| 2024–25 | 18 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 7 | — | 31 | 18 | |||
| Total | 164 | 82 | 12 | 6 | 37 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 214 | 102 | ||
| Career total | 224 | 112 | 18 | 6 | 54 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 297 | 139 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2018 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 10 | 8 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 12 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2024 | 14 | 5 | |
| Total | 59 | 31 | |
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each David goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 9, 2018 | IMG Academy, Bradenton, United States | 1 |  U.S. Virgin Islands |
3–0 | 8–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification |
| 2 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 3 | October 16, 2018 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 2 |  Dominica |
1–0 | 5–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification |
| 4 | March 24, 2019 | BC Place, Vancouver, Canada | 4 |  French Guiana |
3–1 | 4–1 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification |
| 5 | June 15, 2019 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States | 6 |  Martinique |
1–0 | 4–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 6 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 7 | June 23, 2019 | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, United States | 8 |  Cuba |
1–0 | 7–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 8 | 6–0 | ||||||
| 9 | 7–0 | ||||||
| 10 | June 29, 2019 | NRG Stadium, Houston, United States | 9 |  Haiti |
1–0 | 2–3 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 11 | September 7, 2019 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 10 | Cuba |
2–0 | 6–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 12 | June 5, 2021 | IMG Academy, Bradenton, United States | 14 |  Aruba |
7–0 | 7–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | June 8, 2021 | SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, United States | 15 |  Suriname |
2–0 | 4–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 15 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 16 | September 8, 2021 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 20 |  El Salvador |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | October 13, 2021 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 23 |  Panama |
4–1 | 4–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 18 | November 12, 2021 | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada | 24 |  Costa Rica |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 19 | January 27, 2022 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | 26 |  Honduras |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 20 | February 2, 2022 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador | 28 | El Salvador |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 21 | June 13, 2022 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | 33 | Honduras |
1–2 | 1–2 | 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 22 | September 23, 2022 | Franz Horr Stadium, Vienna, Austria | 34 |  Qatar |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 23 | March 25, 2023 | Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curaçao | 40 |  Curaçao |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 24 | March 28, 2023 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 41 | Honduras |
3–0 | 4–1 | 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 25 | June 15, 2023 | Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, United States | 42 | Panama |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals |
| 26 | November 18, 2023 | Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica | 45 |  Jamaica |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 27 | June 25, 2024 | Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United States | 51 |  Peru |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2024 Copa América |
| 28 | July 13, 2024 | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, United States | 54 |  Uruguay |
2–1 | 2–2 (3–4 p) |
2024 Copa América |
| 29 | September 7, 2024 | Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United States | 55 |  United States |
2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 30 | October 15, 2024 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 57 | Panama |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 31 | November 19, 2024 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 59 | Suriname |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A |
Awards and Achievements
Lille
- Ligue 1: 2020–21
- Trophée des Champions: 2021
Individual
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Boot (top scorer): 2019
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI (best team): 2019
- Belgian Pro League top scorer: 2019–20 (shared with Dieumerci Mbokani)
- Canada Soccer Men's Player of the Year: 2019, 2024
- Jean-Claude Bouvy Trophy: 2019–20
- CONCACAF Nations League Finals Best XI: 2023
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: November 2024
See also
In Spanish: Jonathan David para niños
