Ryan Nelsen facts for kids
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Nelsen as head coach of Toronto FC in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ryan William Nelsen | ||
| Date of birth | 18 October 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Christchurch, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.86 m | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1995–1998 | Christchurch United | 96 | (12) |
| 2001–2005 | D.C. United | 81 | (7) |
| 2005–2012 | Blackburn Rovers | 172 | (8) |
| 2012 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Queens Park Rangers | 21 | (1) |
| Total | 375 | (28) | |
| National team | |||
| 2008 | New Zealand Olympic (O.P.) | 5 | (0) |
| 2012 | New Zealand Olympic (O.P.) | 3 | (0) |
| 1999–2012 | New Zealand | 49 | (7) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2013–2014 | Toronto FC | ||
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Ryan William Nelsen (born 18 October 1977) is a former professional football player from New Zealand. He played as a defender. After his playing career, he became a head coach for Major League Soccer team Toronto FC.
Nelsen was a strong leader on the field. He even captained the New Zealand national team. He started his football journey in his home country with Christchurch United. Later, he moved to the United States to play for D.C. United in 2001. He played 81 games for them and scored 7 goals. In 2005, he joined Premier League club Blackburn Rovers in England. There, he scored 8 goals in 172 matches. He also played briefly for Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers. In 2013, he became the head coach of Toronto FC, but he left the team in 2014.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Ryan Nelsen grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand. He went to Our Lady of the Assumption primary school and St Thomas of Canterbury College.
Playing in the United States
In 1997, Ryan moved to the United States. He played college football for Greensboro College in North Carolina. He helped his team, The Pride, reach the championship game in the NCAA Division III. After two years, he moved to Stanford University. He played his last two years of college football there. Ryan was named Stanford's Most Valuable Player as a junior. He was also recognized as an All-American as a senior. He studied political science at Stanford.
Professional Club Career
Ryan Nelsen played for several football clubs during his career. He started in New Zealand, then moved to the United States, and later to England.
Christchurch United
Ryan played for Christchurch United from 1995 to 1998. Even after moving to the United States for college, he played his last season with the club when he was back home.
D.C. United
In 2001, D.C. United chose Ryan Nelsen in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft. He played for them for four years in Major League Soccer (MLS). By 2003, he became the team captain. He also won the team's Defender of the Year Award. In 2004, he helped United win their fourth MLS Cup. He was also named to the league's Best XI team that year. During his time in MLS, Ryan scored seven goals and made five assists.
Blackburn Rovers
Ryan joined Blackburn Rovers in England in January 2005. He quickly impressed the manager, Mark Hughes. After just six months, he signed a new three-year contract. He helped make Blackburn's defense very strong.
In the 2005–06 season, Blackburn finished sixth in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup. Ryan scored his first league goal for Blackburn in April 2009. It was a header against Wigan Athletic. This goal helped Blackburn stay in the Premier League. He signed a new five-year deal with the club in July 2007. Ryan played his 175th game for Blackburn Rovers in April 2010. He made a total of 33 appearances and scored four goals in the 2009–10 season.
In November 2010, he scored against Tottenham Hotspur. He also scored against Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United that season. In January 2011, Ryan played his 200th game for Blackburn against Chelsea. He signed a two-year contract extension with Rovers. Later, he became the team's vice-captain. Ryan left Blackburn in January 2012 to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham Hotspur
Ryan Nelsen joined Tottenham Hotspur on February 2, 2012. He made his first appearance for Tottenham on February 11, 2012, against Newcastle United. His first start was on February 19, 2012, in an FA Cup game against Stevenage.
He scored his first goal for Tottenham on March 27, 2012. It was in an FA Cup match against Bolton Wanderers. Tottenham won that game 3–1. Ryan left Tottenham on May 25, 2012, after making eight appearances and scoring one goal.
Queens Park Rangers
On June 18, 2012, Ryan Nelsen signed a one-year deal with Queens Park Rangers. He scored his first goal for Rangers against Wigan Athletic. It was a header that tied the score at 1–1.
On January 8, 2013, it was announced that Ryan would become the new head coach for Toronto FC. He played his last game for Queens Park Rangers on January 29, 2013, against Manchester City. His teammates gave him a special farewell after the game. He joined Toronto FC on February 1.
International Career
Ryan Nelsen played for the New Zealand national team, known as the All Whites. His first game for New Zealand was on June 19, 1999, against Poland.
Winning the OFC Nations Cup
He was part of the All Whites team that won the 2002 OFC Nations Cup. In the final, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against their rivals, Australia. He also helped New Zealand win the 2008 OFC Nations Cup.
Playing in the World Cup
Ryan captained the New Zealand team that qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They beat Bahrain in a playoff in November 2009. On May 10, 2010, Ryan was named in New Zealand's squad for the World Cup.
On June 15, Ryan captained New Zealand to their first ever point in a FIFA World Cup match. They drew 1–1 with Slovakia. On June 21, New Zealand drew 1–1 with Italy, who were the reigning champions. This was a huge achievement for the team. New Zealand was knocked out in the group stages, but they made history with their strong performances.
Coaching Career
On January 8, 2013, Ryan Nelsen became the head coach of Major League Soccer team Toronto FC. He started his new role on February 1. Ryan won his first game as a head coach on March 9. Toronto FC beat Sporting Kansas City 2–1. He was let go from Toronto FC on August 31, 2014.
Writing Career
Ryan Nelsen also co-wrote a book with New Zealand author Tony Smith. The book is called Ryan Nelsen's Road to the World Cup.
Images for kids
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Ryan Nelsen (right) and Morten Gamst Pedersen playing against Manchester United.
Honours and Awards
Ryan Nelsen has received several awards and honours for his football career.
Team Honours
- D.C. United
- MLS Cup: 2004
- Blackburn Rovers
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007
- New Zealand
- OFC Nations Cup: 2002, 2008
- Merdeka Cup: 2000
Individual Awards
- MLS Best XI: 2003, 2004
- Oceania Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2010
Special Recognition
In 2011, Ryan Nelsen was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This was for his great contributions to football in New Zealand.
See also
In Spanish: Ryan Nelsen para niños
- New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup
- List of New Zealand international footballers
