Keesean Ferdinand

Keesean Ferdinand (born 17 August 2003) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for MLS Next Pro side Portland Timbers 2.

Keesean Ferdinand
Personal information
Full name Keesean Ferdinand
Date of birth (2003-08-17) 17 August 2003
Place of birth Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Portland Timbers 2
Number 40
Youth career
2007–2013 CS Rivière-des-Prairies
2014–2020 Montreal Impact
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2022 CF Montréal[lower-alpha 1] 0 (0)
2021 → Atlético Ottawa (loan) 17 (0)
2022 → CF Montreal U23 (loan) 17 (4)
2023– Portland Timbers 2 11 (0)
International career‡
2019 Canada U17 5 (0)
2022– Canada U20 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 6, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 June 2022

Early life

Ferdinand began playing youth soccer in 2007, at age four, with CS Rivière-des-Prairies, who he played with until 2013.[1][2] He then played for CS Panellinios.[3] In 2014, he joined the Montreal Impact Academy,[4] initially starting in the pre-academy program.[5]

Club career

On 17 June 2020, he became the youngest player to sign professionally with the Montreal Impact, at the age of 16, as well as the first player to progress through Montreal's pre-academy system to sign with the first team, signing a two-year contract with a club option for 2022.[6] He first appeared on a match-day squad with Montreal in a CONCACAF Champions League match against Honduran club CD Olimpia on December 16, 2020, but was an unused substitute.[7]

In February 2021, Ferdinand went on loan to Canadian Premier League side Atlético Ottawa.[8][9] With Ottawa, he had the opportunity to train with players from the Atlético Madrid academy and play exhibition games against youth teams from La Liga clubs and Spanish fourth division teams, during Ottawa's pre-season.[10] Upon completion of the 2021 MLS season, CF Montréal would announce that they would exercise the option on Ferdinand's contract for 2022.[11] In 2022, he went on loan with the second team, CF Montréal U23, in the Première ligue de soccer du Québec.[12] After the 2022 season, his option was declined and he departed the club.[13]

In March 2023, he signed with Portland Timbers 2 in MLS Next Pro.[14] He made his debut on March 26 against Whitecaps FC 2.[15]

International career

Ferdinand is eligible to represent Canada and Haiti, where his mother was born.[16][17]

In March 2019, he debuted in the Canadian youth system, attending a camp with the Canadian U17 team.[1] He was then named to the roster for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[18]

In June 2022, Ferdinand was named to the Canadian U20 team for the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[12]

References
  1. Keesean Ferdinand at the Canadian Soccer Association
  2. "Toutes nos Félicitations - Keesean Ferdinand" [Congratulations - Keesean Ferdinand]. CS Rivière-des-Prairies (in French). June 18, 2020.
  3. Leandre, Stanley (June 25, 2020). "Keesean Ferdinand : Le plus jeune footballeur ayant décroché un contrat professionnel" [Keesean Ferdinand: The youngest footballer to win a professional contract]. Le Courrier du Monde (in French).
  4. "Un Prairivois signe avec l'Impact" [A Prairivois signs with the Impact] (in French). Métro. June 17, 2020.
  5. Brunet, Mathias (July 15, 2020). "Keesean Ferdinand : 16 ans, et déjà dans la cour des grands" [Keesean Ferdinand: 16 years old, and already in the big leagues]. La Presse (in French).
  6. "Keesean Ferdinand, 16, becomes youngest player signed by Impact". CBS Sports. 17 June 2020.
  7. Vance, Paul (February 3, 2021). "Yao & Ferdinand Off on Loan Moves". Mount Royal Soccer.
  8. Thompson, Marty (3 February 2021). "Atlético Ottawa signs CF Montreal youngster Keesean Ferdinand on loan". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  9. "CF MTL : Keesean Ferdinand prêté à l'Atlético" [CF MTL: Keesean Ferdinand loaned to Atlético]. OBELISQ (in French). February 4, 2021.
  10. Landry, Nicolas (June 12, 2021). "L'émancipation madrilène de Keesean Ferdinand" [The Madrid emancipation of Keesean Ferdinand]. RDS (in French).
  11. "CF Montréal exercises options for 12 players". CF Montreal. November 30, 2021.
  12. "Loïc Cloutier, Keesean Ferdinand, Maël Henry et Rida Zouhir avec le Canada U20" [Loïc Cloutier, Keesean Ferdinand, Maël Henry and Rida Zouhir with Canada U20] (in French). RDS. 10 June 2022.
  13. "CF Montréal exercises options for 10 players". CF Montreal. November 15, 2022.
  14. "Timbers2 announce 14 player signings ahead of 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season". Portland Timbers. March 2, 2023.
  15. Jacques, John (March 27, 2023). "Former CPL Talents Shine In MLS Next Pro Opening Weekend". Northern Tribune.
  16. Jephté, Pierre Caleb (June 19, 2020). "Foot- Canada: Keesean Ferdinand, l'Haïtiano-Canadien qui rentre dans l'histoire de l'Impact de Montréal en signant pro !" [Foot-Canada: Keesean Ferdinand, the Haitian-Canadian who goes down in the history of the Montreal Impact by signing pro!]. Haiti Tempo (in French).
  17. Trezil, Carlin (June 22, 2020). "Football/ Expatriés: Keesean Ferdinand Signe Avec L'Impact Montréal" [Football/ Expatriates: Keesean Ferdinand Signs With The Montreal Impact]. Sheshe22 (in French).
  18. Hickey, Pat (June 17, 2020). "Montreal Impact signs two teenagers from its Academy". Montreal Gazette.

Notes
  1. Montreal Impact changed its name to CF Montréal in 2021
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