Junior Hoilett facts for kids
Hoilett playing for Canada at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Wayne Hoilett | ||
| Date of birth | 5 June 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Brampton, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.73 m | ||
| Playing position | Left winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Hibernian | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Brampton YSC | |||
| CS Azzurri | |||
| Oakville SC | |||
| 2003–2007 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007–2012 | Blackburn Rovers | 81 | (12) |
| 2007–2008 | → SC Paderborn (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | → FC St. Pauli (loan) | 21 | (6) |
| 2012–2016 | Queens Park Rangers | 112 | (12) |
| 2016–2021 | Cardiff City | 173 | (23) |
| 2021–2023 | Reading | 61 | (4) |
| 2023 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 7 | (0) |
| 2024 | Aberdeen | 13 | (2) |
| 2024– | Hibernian | 14 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2015– | Canada | 65 | (17) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
|||
David Wayne Hoilett (born June 5, 1990), known as Junior Hoilett, is a Canadian professional soccer player. He plays as a left winger for Hibernian and the Canada national team.
Junior Hoilett started his career at a young age. He joined the English club Blackburn Rovers when he was just 13. Because of rules about work permits, he played on loan for teams in Germany first.
He made his official debut for Blackburn in 2009. He played three full seasons in the Premier League, which is England's top soccer league. Later, he moved to Queens Park Rangers in 2012.
Hoilett spent four years with Queens Park Rangers. He played for them in both the Premier League and the Championship. After his contract ended, he moved to Cardiff City. With Cardiff, he helped the team get promoted back to the Premier League in the 2017–18 season. He also played for Aberdeen in Scotland.
Junior Hoilett first played for the Canadian national team in 2015. He has played in many big tournaments for Canada. These include the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. In 2021, his team reached the semi-finals. He was also part of Canada's team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He played in all three of Canada's games at that tournament.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Soccer
Junior Hoilett was born in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. He is one of four children born to David and Ingrid Hoilett. His parents are from Jamaica. His father used to be a DJ and music promoter.
Hoilett remembers having a "very sporty childhood." He played many sports with his three siblings. He played both baseball and basketball when he was younger. But at age 11, he decided to focus on soccer. His younger brother, Jaineil, also became a soccer player.
He played youth soccer in Canada for teams like Brampton Youth SC and Oakville SC. He traveled around the world with his club team. He got noticed at a tournament in Wales. He chose to join Blackburn Rovers instead of Manchester United. He felt he had a better chance to play for the first team at Blackburn. After thinking about it for a year, Hoilett signed with Rovers in 2003. He went to St Bede's Roman Catholic High School in Blackburn, England.
Club Career Highlights
Junior Hoilett moved up through Blackburn's youth teams. He signed his first professional contract when he was 16. However, he faced a problem: he couldn't get a work permit for the United Kingdom. This meant he couldn't play in England yet.
To get a work permit later, Blackburn decided to loan him to a club in another European country. Hoilett turned down offers from teams in Belgium and France.
Playing in Germany (Loan Spells)
Hoilett agreed to go on loan to Germany. He joined SC Paderborn. He made his first senior appearance for the club on February 3, 2008. He was 17 years old. He came on as a substitute in a 3–2 win against Kickers Offenbach.
His first game starting was on March 9, 2008, against 1899 Hoffenheim. He scored his only goal for Paderborn on May 18, 2008. This was against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Paderborn was later relegated from the league.
Hoilett was then loaned to another German team, FC St. Pauli. This was for the 2008–09 2. Bundesliga season. He played his first game for them on August 22, 2008. He scored six goals during this loan. This included two goals in one game against Alemannia Aachen. St. Pauli finished the season in eighth place.
Blackburn Rovers Success
In January 2009, Blackburn tried again to get Hoilett a work permit. In the summer of 2009, his work permit was approved. This allowed him to play in England for Blackburn. Blackburn decided not to loan him out again.
Hoilett did well during the team's pre-season games. He made his debut for Blackburn in the first game of the 2009–10 season. He came on as a substitute against Manchester City. He scored his first goal for Rovers in a League Cup win on August 25, 2009.
His good play led the club to offer him a new contract. On February 25, 2010, Hoilett signed a new deal. This kept him at Blackburn until 2012. He played 27 games that season and scored one goal.
Hoilett scored his first league goal on January 23, 2011. It was in a 2–0 home win against West Bromwich Albion. He scored again on March 5 in a game against Fulham. His next goal was an equalizer against Blackpool.
On April 9, 2011, Hoilett scored in a 1–1 draw against Birmingham City. He got injured in that game. He scored his fifth league goal of the season in a 3–2 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. In September 2011, he had a head injury during a game.
In January 2012, FIFA named Hoilett as one of 13 players to watch. In the 2011–12 season, Hoilett had the most successful dribbles per game in the Premier League.
Queens Park Rangers Journey
.jpg)
Hoilett joined Queens Park Rangers on July 27, 2012. He signed a four-year contract. He scored his first goal for QPR in a League Cup game. This was on September 26, 2012, against Reading.
His first season at QPR was tough due to injuries and poor form. The team was relegated to the Championship.
Hoilett scored his first goal of the 2013–14 Championship season in a 1–1 draw. This was against Huddersfield Town. Four months later, he scored again in a 3–0 win against AFC Bournemouth. In the Championship play-off final, Hoilett helped QPR win 1–0. He crossed the ball for Bobby Zamora to score the winning goal. This win promoted QPR back to the Premier League.
After the 2015–16 season, Hoilett left QPR when his contract ended.
Time at Cardiff City
Junior Hoilett signed with Cardiff City on October 6, 2016. This was the first signing for new manager Neil Warnock. He made his debut on October 14 against Bristol City. Hoilett scored his first goal for Cardiff on November 19, 2016. He signed a one-year contract extension in May 2017.
The 2017–18 season was his best for goals. He scored twelve goals that season. This included goals against his old club, Queens Park Rangers. Cardiff finished second in the league, earning promotion to the Premier League. Hoilett was offered a new contract after this success.
On June 26, 2018, Hoilett signed a three-year contract with Cardiff. He scored his first Premier League goal since 2012 on November 30. It was a "fabulous" long-range shot against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
On May 9, 2021, Hoilett announced he was leaving Cardiff City. He had spent five years with the club. He played 184 games for them in total.
Reading and Vancouver
On August 19, 2021, Hoilett signed a one-year contract with Reading. He scored his first goal for Reading against his former club, Cardiff City, on October 2.
In July 2022, Hoilett re-signed with Reading for another year. He started playing as a wing-back for the club. His coach, Paul Ince, praised his performances. He left Reading after they were relegated at the end of the season.
On September 14, 2023, Hoilett joined Major League Soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He made his debut on September 20. At the end of the 2023 season, his contract was not renewed.
Aberdeen and Hibernian
On February 16, 2024, Junior signed a short-term deal with Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen. He reunited with manager Neil Warnock there. He made his debut the next day against Hibernian. He became the first Canadian player to play for Aberdeen. He left the club on July 30, 2024.
On August 6, 2024, Hoilett joined Hibernian on a one-year deal.
International Career for Canada
When he was a child, Hoilett was the captain of Canada's team. This was at the 2001 Danone Nations Cup in Paris.
Junior Hoilett could have played for either Canada or Jamaica. In February 2011, he turned down a call-up from Canada. He wanted to focus on his club career first. In March 2012, he said he would consider playing for England if he was eligible.
Hoilett officially chose to play for Canada in September 2015. This was before the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers. He played his first international game on October 13, 2015. It was a 1–1 draw against Ghana. He officially committed to Canada after starting a World Cup qualification match against Honduras.
Hoilett was part of Canada's team for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He scored his first international goal in the quarter-finals on July 20. This was in a 1–2 loss to Jamaica.
He was named to the team for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He scored goals in wins against Martinique and Cuba. Canada reached the quarter-finals. Hoilett was named Canada's captain for the first time on September 7, 2019. He scored three goals in a 6–0 win against Cuba. This was his first hat-trick for Canada.
Hoilett was called up for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He scored in a 4–1 win over Haiti. He also scored in a 2–0 quarter-final win against Costa Rica. The team reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2007.
On March 27, 2022, Hoilett scored a goal as Canada beat Jamaica 4–0. This win meant Canada qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It was their first World Cup appearance since 1986. In November 2022, Hoilett was named to Canada’s World Cup team. He played in all three of Canada's games. The team left the tournament after the group stage.
In June 2023, Hoilett was part of Canada's team for the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals. He was also named to the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. In June 2024, he had to withdraw from the 2024 Copa América due to an injury.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2009–10 | Premier League | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | – | 27 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 | 24 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 28 | 6 | |||
| 2011–12 | 35 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 38 | 7 | |||
| Total | 81 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 | – | 92 | 14 | |||
| SC Paderborn (loan) | 2007–08 | 2. Bundesliga | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 12 | 1 | ||
| FC St. Pauli (loan) | 2008–09 | 2. Bundesliga | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 6 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2012–13 | Premier League | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | 28 | 3 | |
| 2013–14 | Championship | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 4 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Championship | 29 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 31 | 6 | ||
| Total | 112 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 122 | 13 | ||
| Cardiff City | 2016–17 | Championship | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 | 2 | |
| 2017–18 | 46 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | 50 | 11 | |||
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 | 3 | ||
| 2019–20 | Championship | 41 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 7 | |
| 2020–21 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 23 | 2 | |||
| Total | 173 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 184 | 25 | ||
| Reading | 2021–22 | Championship | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 | 3 | |
| 2022–23 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 | 1 | |||
| Total | 61 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 | 4 | |||
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 2023 | MLS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Aberdeen | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 2 | ||
| Hibernian | 2024–25 | Scottish Premiership | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 | 2 | |
| Career total | 494 | 62 | 12 | 3 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 531 | 67 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2015 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 4 | 2 | |
| Total | 65 | 17 | |
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hoilett goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 20, 2017 | University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, United States | 16 |  Jamaica |
1–2 | 1–2 | 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 2 | September 9, 2018 | IMG Academy, Bradenton, United States | 18 |  U.S. Virgin Islands |
6–0 | 8–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification |
| 3 | October 16, 2018 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 19 |  Dominica |
2–0 | 5–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification |
| 4 | March 24, 2019 | BC Place, Vancouver, Canada | 21 |  French Guiana |
1–0 | 4–1 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification |
| 5 | June 15, 2019 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States | 22 |  Martinique |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 6 | June 23, 2019 | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, United States | 23 |  Cuba |
5–0 | 7–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 7 | September 7, 2019 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 25 | Cuba |
1–0 | 6–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 8 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 9 | 6–0 | ||||||
| 10 | June 5, 2021 | IMG Academy, Bradenton, United States | 30 |  Aruba |
2–0 | 7–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 11 | June 15, 2021 | SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, United States | 31 |  Haiti |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | July 15, 2021 | Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United States | 33 | Haiti |
4–1 | 4–1 | 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 13 | July 25, 2021 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States | 35 |  Costa Rica |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 14 | March 27, 2022 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 44 | Jamaica |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | July 4, 2023 | Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States | 58 | Cuba |
1–0 | 4–2 | 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 16 | October 13, 2023 | Denka Big Swan Stadium, Niigata, Japan | 60 |  Japan |
1–4 | 1–4 | Friendly |
| 17 | November 15, 2024 | Frank Essed Stadion, Paramaribo, Suriname | 64 |  Suriname |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A |
Honours and Awards
Queens Park Rangers
- Championship play-offs: 2014
Cardiff City
- Championship runner-up: 2017–18
Canada
- CONCACAF Nations League runner-up: 2023
Individual
- BBC Goal of the Month: November 2018
See also
In Spanish: Junior Hoilett para niños
