Tosaint Ricketts facts for kids
Ricketts in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tosaint Antony Ricketts | ||
| Date of birth | 6 August 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Edmonton SW Sting | |||
| Edmonton Juventus | |||
| St. Francis Xavier High School | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2008 | Green Bay Phoenix | 77 | (26) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2010 | MyPa | 40 | (9) |
| 2010–2012 | Politehnica Timișoara | 24 | (6) |
| 2012 | Vålerenga | 3 | (1) |
| 2013 | Sandnes Ulf | 12 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Bucaspor | 25 | (7) |
| 2014–2015 | Hapoel Haifa | 30 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | Boluspor | 15 | (1) |
| 2016–2018 | Toronto FC | 51 | (13) |
| 2019 | Sūduva | 15 | (8) |
| 2019–2022 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 61 | (7) |
| Total | 276 | (53) | |
| International career | |||
| 2007 | Canada U20 | 8 | (5) |
| 2008 | Canada U23 | 5 | (2) |
| 2011–2020 | Canada | 61 | (17) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Tosaint Antony Ricketts (born on August 6, 1987) is a Canadian former professional soccer player. He played as a forward, known for his speed and goal-scoring ability. Ricketts played for many clubs around the world and also represented the Canadian national team.
Contents
Tosaint Ricketts' Club Journey
Starting His Soccer Career
Tosaint Ricketts was a top short-distance runner in Alberta, Canada. He began his youth soccer career playing for the Green Bay Phoenix at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay.
Playing for MyPa
In 2009, Ricketts joined the Veikkausliiga club MyPa in Finland. He made his first appearance on March 4, 2009. He scored his first goal on June 13 against Kuopion Palloseura. He scored three goals in the Europa League, which caught the attention of Politehnica Timișoara.
Time with Politehnica Timișoara
Ricketts signed with the Romanian club Politehnica Timișoara for three years on November 19, 2010. He was excited to join the team and play for their fans. He made his debut on February 26, 2011, in a 3–1 win. Ricketts scored his first goal for the club on March 5, 2011, which was the winning goal. Politehnica Timișoara faced financial issues in 2012, and Ricketts was released from his contract.
Moving to Vålerenga
On August 31, 2012, Ricketts signed with Vålerenga in Norway. He joined fellow Canadian player Lars Hirschfeld at the club. Ricketts made his debut in Norway on November 5, 2012.
Playing for Sandnes Ulf
In January 2013, Ricketts signed with Sandnes Ulf, another Norwegian team. He played his first game for them on March 17. Ricketts played 12 matches in the league and scored two goals in the Norwegian Cup.
Joining Bucaspor in Turkey
On September 6, 2013, Ricketts signed a one-year contract with the Turkish club Bucaspor. He scored his first two goals for the team on September 22, 2013.
Experience with Hapoel Haifa
Ricketts joined Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Haifa on July 16, 2014. He debuted on August 16, 2014, and scored a goal in a cup match. He scored his first league goal on February 9, 2015. Ricketts played 30 games for the club. He sometimes played as a defender because the team needed help in that position.
Back to Turkey with Boluspor
After playing in Israel, Ricketts returned to Turkey and signed with Boluspor on August 3, 2015. He left Boluspor in early 2016 due to a disagreement about unpaid wages.
Playing for Toronto FC
On July 20, 2016, Ricketts came back to Canada to play for Major League Soccer team Toronto FC. He made his debut as a substitute in a 4–1 win. He scored his first goal in his next game, a 1–0 victory.
In February 2017, Ricketts signed a new contract. On May 13, 2017, he scored two late goals to help Toronto FC win 2–1. He played his first full 90-minute game for Toronto in the next match, scoring a goal in a 3–2 win. He missed some games in June due to an injury. Toronto FC decided not to extend his contract after the 2018 season.
Time with Sūduva
On January 26, 2019, Ricketts signed with Sūduva, the champions of Lithuania. He scored 10 goals for the club in 2019. One memorable goal on March 16 was dedicated to victims of terrorism. Ricketts left Sūduva in August 2019 to return to MLS.
Return to Canada with Vancouver Whitecaps FC
On August 8, 2019, Ricketts joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC, returning to MLS and Canada. He signed a new deal through 2022. At the end of the 2022 season, the Whitecaps did not extend his playing contract. Ricketts then took on a new role in the club's front office.
On January 31, 2023, Tosaint Ricketts announced his retirement from playing soccer. He joined the Whitecaps staff as the Manager of Community Impact. In December 2023, he also became the first former MLS player to compete in eMLS, representing the Whitecaps in video game tournaments.
Tosaint Ricketts' International Career
In 2007, Ricketts was called up to the Canadian Under-20 team for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He also played for Canada in the 2008 Olympic qualifying tournament, scoring twice.
In January 2011, Ricketts was called up to the senior Canada team for the first time. He made his debut on February 9 in a game against Greece. On June 1, 2011, Ricketts scored his first international goal, a late equalizer, in a friendly match against Ecuador. He made his CONCACAF Gold Cup debut on June 14.
Ricketts continued to score goals in World Cup Qualifying. On November 15, 2011, he scored in his first start for the national team. By June 16, 2015, Ricketts had scored 10 goals for Canada, tying him for 9th all-time on Canada's scoring list. He was also part of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.
How Tosaint Ricketts Played
Tosaint Ricketts was known for being a very fast striker. His former coach, Greg Vanney, said Ricketts brought "presence, size, speed, [and] a goal-scoring threat" to the team. Vanney also mentioned that Ricketts was a "relentless runner" who could get past defenders easily because of his speed.
Neil Davidson, a sports writer, called him the "fastest player on the Toronto roster." Ricketts' speed made it hard for defenders to stop him, and he was good at finding open space to score. Even though he was usually a forward, he sometimes played as a full-back or wing-back for Hapoel Haifa. This happened when other players were injured. He was also praised for his energy, ability to win headers, and leadership skills.
Ricketts once explained his approach: "I watch the tendencies of defenders, what spaces and weaknesses I can exploit... to come on and provide that spark." He always aimed to make a big impact, even if he only played for a short time.
Tosaint Ricketts' Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| MYPA | 2009 | Veikkausliiga | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 |
| 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 36 | 10 | |
| Total | 40 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 52 | 15 | ||
| Timișoara | 2010–11 | Liga I | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 2011–12 | Liga II | 15 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 6 | |
| Total | 24 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 7 | ||
| Vålerenga | 2012 | Tippeligaen | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Sandnes Ulf | 2013 | Tippeligaen | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Bucaspor | 2013–14 | TFF First League | 25 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 9 |
| Hapoel Haifa | 2014–15 | Israeli Premier League | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| Boluspor | 2015–16 | TFF First League | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Toronto FC | 2016 | MLS | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 |
| 2017 | MLS | 22 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 7 | |
| 2018 | MLS | 18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 4 | |
| Total | 51 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 66 | 16 | ||
| Sūduva | 2019 | A Lyga | 15 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 10 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2019 | MLS | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| 2020 | MLS | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2021 | MLS | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2022 | MLS | 22 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 | |
| Total | 61 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 276 | 53 | 22 | 5 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 327 | 69 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2011 | 9 | 3 |
| 2012 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 61 | 17 | |
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ricketts goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 June 2011 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 3 |  Ecuador |
2–2 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 6 September 2011 | Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel, Bayamón, Puerto Rico | 6 |  Puerto Rico |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 15 November 2011 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 9 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis |
4–0 | 4–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 15 August 2012 | Central Broward Regional Park, Lauderhill, United States | 14 |  Trinidad and Tobago |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 12 October 2012 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 17 |  Cuba |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 27 May 2014 | Stadion SVU Mauer, Mauer, Austria | 32 |  Moldova |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 9 September 2014 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 33 |  Jamaica |
3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 8 | 30 March 2015 | Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel, Bayamón, Puerto Rico | 37 | Puerto Rico |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 16 June 2015 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 39 |  Dominica |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 11 | 4 September 2015 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 43 |  Belize |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 13 | 6 October 2016 | Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco | 53 |  Mauritania |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 14 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 15 | 22 January 2017 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda | 55 |  Bermuda |
2–1 | 4–2 | Friendly |
| 16 | 24 March 2018 | Pinatar Arena, Murcia, Spain | 58 |  New Zealand |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 17 | 7 January 2020 | Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, United States | 60 |  Barbados |
1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |
Awards and Achievements
Toronto FC
- MLS Cup: 2017
- Canadian Championship: 2017, 2018
- Supporters' Shield: 2017
Sūduva
- A Lyga: 2019
- Lithuanian Cup: 2019
- Lithuanian Supercup: 2019
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Canadian Championship: 2022
Tosaint Ricketts' Life Outside Soccer
In December 2023, the Vancouver Whitecaps signed Ricketts to represent the team in eMLS. This is a competition where players compete in the EA Sports FC video game. This made Ricketts the first former MLS player to compete in eMLS.
See also
In Spanish: Tosaint Ricketts para niños
