PLAYER PROFILE – Jacob Shaffelburg, affectionally known as the “Maritime Messi” by many Canadian pundits and fans, has made a long journey to the CANMNT. He plays the winger position and is 26 years old (born on November 26, 1999).
Note #1: For those not familiar with Canadian geography, Shaffelburg was born and brought up in the province of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia (NS), Prince Edward Island (PEI), and New Brunswick (NB) are three Canadian provinces that are considered part of the Maritimes.
Note #2: Shaffelburg is the first-ever player from the Maritimes to ever play for the CANMNT in the FIFA World Cup.
Note #3: To understand why Shaffelburg is called “Maritime Messi,” please read the Nashville SC part of the article.
Jacob Shaffelburg: The CANMNT Player from Nova Scotia
Childhood
Shaffelburg was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, and was also brought up in Port Williams, Nova Scotia. He was known at a very young age to be a gifted soccer player. This is what Randall Gates, the owner of The Soccer Shop in Nova Scotia, said about seeing Shaffelburg, according to CBC:
“I remember seeing him when he was seven or eight years old. And playing at that time, the RTC, our regional training centre,” I remember seeing him at that age, buzzing around all the other players, and remembering, thinking to myself: “That kid is special.”
Some of this was reflected in his youth soccer career. He played for the FC Nashville Heroes in the 2012 U.S. Club World Cup and even played with the Sporting Kansas City Academy for a month back in 2014.
The other sports he played in his youth were cross-country running and track and field. He was able to win the NSSAF junior boys 3000m in June 2014 with sub-10-minute performances.
Shaffelburg was the youngest of three kids. He competed with his oldest brother, Zach and his sister, Jessica. This is what his mother, Linda Shaffelburg, said about him, according to Josh Hoffman of CBC News on June 11, 2026:
“I’m proud of him. And it’s not just Jacob. I’m really proud of our family and the support that they give him,” said Linda, who will be attending all three of Canada’s games in group play.
However, for Shaffelburg to accomplish his goal as a professional soccer player, he had to leave Nova Scotia to make a name for himself at just 15 years old, according to Andrew Sampson of CBC News:
“There wasn’t any opportunity,” said Jacob Shaffelburg, 24, earlier this week. “Just to get noticed … I had to leave.”
Keep in mind that when Shaffelburg made this move, there were no professional soccer teams in Halifax and Nova Scotia at the time, which is not the case anymore (there is now a team with the Canadian Premier League’s Halifax Wanderers FC (pro men’s team), since 2019).
Berkshire School is a high school in Sheffield, Massachusetts, with a highly acclaimed and famous soccer program. Shaffelburg went to high school there, which helped him earn bigger and better things in his professional and national team careers.
2017-19: Start of a Professional Career
From 2016-19, he was part of the Toronto FC Academy. He played one game but scored no goals in 2017, and in 2019, played for Toronto FC II scoring two goals in 15 games (he also played two games for Toronto FC II as he was loaned in the 2021-22 season).
When he finally made the leap to the first team, and worked his way up, this is what Shaffelburg said about that according to Ashley Thompson of the PNI Athletic:
“I was so nervous for the first two weeks,” said Shaffelburg. “The intensity is so much higher with the first team. It’s the little things, the attention to detail. But once I got to know the guys and realized they are all human, the nerves went away and I was just focused on being patient.”
He was able to adjust to this change and play for his first-ever professional soccer club, the Toronto Football Club (Toronto FC or TFC).
Toronto FC (2019-22)
Shaffelburg’s first professional soccer team was Toronto FC (TFC). With TFC, he scored three goals in 46 appearances.
His most iconic moment in a TFC uniform might have been him helping his team win. His pass late in the game led to the game-winning goal scored by Jonathan Osorio against Shaffelburg’s hometown team, the Halifax Wanderers FC (HFX Wanderers FC) in the Canadian Championship quarterfinals. It was in front of 6,500 fans in Halifax as reported by the Canadian Press on May 25, 2022.
However, it was not all plain sailing for Shaffelburg in Toronto. Near the end of his time in Ontario’s provincial capital, this is what Shaffelburg said about it, according to OneSoccer’s YouTube Account with Kristian Jack on July 1, 2024:
“The hardest moment of my career so far was just before getting going to Nashville SC. I was going through a rough spot, walking down from the first team to the second team,” Shaffelburg said. “So it’s just whether or not to keep playing or what the best option is. Would I go to the Halifax Wanderers FC, just to be close to family, because I’m a big family guy? So that was kind of what was going through my head. It wasn’t really clear, but luckily Nashville believed in me.”
This is where Shaffelburg’s career took off, and a big reason why Shaffelburg is now part of the CANMNT.
Nashville SC (2022-25)
Shaffelburg was loaned to Nashville SC back in 2022, scoring two goals in eight appearances. He would then make his name when he was officially traded from Toronto FC to Nashville SC, scoring nine goals in 74 games.
What Shaffelburg might be most remembered for is how he helped Nashville win its first-ever U.S. Open Cup trophy. He assisted in Hany Mukhtar’s goal early on against Austin FC in the 2025 U.S. Open Cup Final. They would go on to win that game 2-1. He also helped Nashville SC earn the 3-1 victory over Atlanta United FC. He scored the insurance goal with a fantastic strike on April 29, 2023.
He also scored two goals against Inter Miami CF in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the Concacaf Champions Cup competition, back in early 2024. That game ended in a draw as Miami scored two late goals to tie it. However, because of this game, he earned the nickname “Maritime Messi,” as mentioned by Joshua Kloke of The Athletic.
Shaffelburg is known for his speed, agility, and dribbling ability. This is what Nashville SC head coach, BJ Callaghan, said about potentially moving him up top with the club while giving huge praise to him, according to OneSoccer on February 3, 2025:
“Jacob’s dedication to the game – whether it’s off the field studying tactics or putting time in the weight room – is a testament to how much he’s worked hard. He’s a menace running behind the backline.”
This is what helped Shaffelburg make the CANMNT in the first place. Even though, since the beginning of this year, he has played with Los Angeles FC (six appearances and zero goals), his rise as a soccer player started with Nashville SC.
READ MORE: Nathan Saliba: A Promising CANMNT Midfielder
CANMNT (2020-Present)
Shaffelburg got his first call-up for Canada on January 3, 2020, for the games against Barbados and Iceland. He made his debut as a substitute on January 10, 2020, against Barbados.
His ascension with the national team started on July 10, 2023, when Shaffelburg scored his first-ever goal with the national team in extra time. Unfortunately, the U.S. was able to tie the game late in extra time and ended up winning in penalties in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Then, with the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América competition, Shaffelburg assisted in Jonathan David’s game-winning goal against Peru. He also scored the only regulation goal for Canada against Venezuela in the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América competition. They would win that game in penalties.
READ MORE: Promise David: A Promising Young CANMNT Striker
CANMNT’s right-back, Alistair Johnson, had this to say about Shaffelburg’s performances:
“He’s giving everything in every match,” commented his teammate Alistair Johnston after the game.
For Canadian and international viewers, Shaffelburg is a player to watch. This is what he said about making the World Cup squad as the first-ever Nova Scotian player to represent Canada.
READ MORE: Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina: Group B Opener
Shaffelburg contributed to Qatar’s own goal by Mohamed Manai. His shot was kicked into the net by Qatar’s Manai.
READ MORE: CANMNT Head Coach Jesse Marsch: His Journey as a Pro Player
Overview of Jacob Shaffelburg and Growth of the Game in Nova Scotia
READ MORE: Jesse Marsch: How His Coaching Path Led to the CANMNT Job
As for the CANMNT, their next game will be against Switzerland at BC Place. The game will take place on July 24 at 3:00 pm EDT (12:00 pm PDT). It will be televised live on TSN, RDS, and CTV.
That game has a lot of importance. If Canada at least draws that game, they win Group B, and host again at Vancouver Stadium (BC Place) for the Round of 32 game.
Photo Credit: Canada Soccer Flickr Account on November 7, 2022.
