Lukas MacNaughton
Lukas MacNaughton
MacNaughton with Pacific FC in 2021
Personal information
Full name Lukas Michael MacNaughton[1]
Date of birth (1995-03-08) March 8, 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth New York City, United States
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Nashville SC
Number 3
Youth career
2002–2011 Royale Union Rixensartoise
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2017 Toronto Varsity Blues 63 (17)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 North Toronto Nitros 9 (4)
2018 Alliance United 8 (0)
2019–2021 Pacific FC 53 (5)
2022–2023 Toronto FC 28 (0)
2023– Nashville SC 17 (1)
International career‡
2015–2017 Canada Universiade 10 (1)
2022– Canada 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 16, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 11, 2022

Lukas Michael MacNaughton (born March 8, 1995) is a professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club Nashville SC. Born in the United States and raised in Belgium, he represents Canada at international level.

Early life

MacNaughton was born in New York City to an Austrian mother and a Canadian father.[2] When he was seven, he moved to Brussels, Belgium with his family.[3] He played youth soccer with Royale Union Rixensartoise from under-8, until the age of 16, after which he left the club and then played for his school team, International School of Brussels.[4]

College career

After attending high school at the International School of Brussels, he moved to Canada to attend the University of Toronto, where he also played for the Toronto Varsity Blues men's soccer team from 2013 to 2017, serving as team captain beginning in his second year.[5][4] He scored his first goal on September 3, 2014, against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.[6] He was named an OUA East first-team all-star four times from 2014 to 2017, a CIS second team all-Canadian in 2015, and U Sports second team all-Canadian in 2017.[6] He led the team in goals in 2016.[2] After playing for UofT, he had a trial with Toronto FC II.[4]

Club career

In 2016 and 2017, MacNaughton played his summer soccer with League1 Ontario side North Toronto Nitros, making a total of nine appearances and scoring four goals over two seasons.[7][8]

In 2018, MacNaughton played for League1 Ontario side Alliance United FC, making eight appearances.[9]

MacNaughton signed for Canadian Premier League club Pacific FC in March 2019.[10] He made his debut in Pacific FC's inaugural match as a starter and received two yellow cards, becoming the club's first ever sent off player in a 1-0 victory over HFX Wanderers.[11] MacNaughton scored his first goal for Pacific FC on July 31, netting a header against Valour FC in an eventual 2-2 draw.[12] He made twenty league appearances that season, scoring two goals, and made two appearances in the Canadian Championship.[13] On January 17, 2020, MacNaughton re-signed with Pacific for the 2020 season.[13] In November 2020, he once again re-signed for the 2021 season.[14]

On January 25, 2022, MacNaughton transferred to MLS side Toronto FC on a two-year contract, with club options for 2024 and 2025, for a rumoured transfer fee of $175k.[15][16] He made his debut on March 5, coming on as a substitute in a 4-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls.[17] He scored his first goal for Toronto FC on July 26 in the 2022 Canadian Championship Final against Vancouver Whitecaps FC.[18]

On April 25, 2023, MacNaughton was traded to Nashville SC, along with up to $200,000 of general allocation money, for forward CJ Sapong.[19][20] He made his debut on May 6 against the Chicago Fire.[21] Macnaughton scored his first goal for his new club on May 17, netting the second in an eventual 2-1 victory over Inter Miami.[22] In November 2023 Nashville announced they had exercised MacNaughton's contract option, keeping him at the club.[23]

International career

MacNaughton was born in the United States (to a Canadian father and his mother was born in Lebanon to Austrian parents).[24] He grew up in Belgium and holds citizenship of Belgium, United States, and Canada.[10][25]

He represented Canada at the 2015 FISU Universiade Games and 2017 FISU Universiade Games.[6] He scored against Brazil during the 2017 Games.[26]

MacNaughton was called up to the Canada men's national soccer team for the first time in November 2022, for a friendly against Bahrain ahead of the 2022 World Cup.[27] On November 11, he made his debut for the team, coming on as a substitute.[28] He travelled and trained with the team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although was not an official member of the 26 man roster.[29]

Personal life

He works as a model for Sutherland Models.[30] He graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in architecture and worked as an architect for a few months before joining Pacific FC.[4]

Honours

Club

Pacific FC

Toronto FC

Career statistics

Club

As of match played March 16, 2024[32]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Playoffs National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
North Toronto Nitros 2016[7] League1 Ontario 5 2 — — — 0 0 5 2
2017[8] 4 2 — — — 0 0 4 2
Total 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 4
Alliance United FC 2018[9] League1 Ontario 8 0 2 0 — — 0 0 10 0
Pacific FC 2019 Canadian Premier League 20 2 — 2 0 — — 22 2
2020 8 1 — — — — 8 1
2021 25 2 1 0 3 0 — — 29 2
Total 53 5 1 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 59 5
Toronto FC 2022 Major League Soccer 25 0 — 3[a] 1 — — 28 1
2023 3 0 — 0 0 — — 3 0
Total 28 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 31 1
Nashville SC 2023 Major League Soccer 14 1 2 0 1 0 — 7[b] 0 24 1
2024 3 0 0 0 0 0 4[c] 0 0 0 7 0
Total 17 1 2 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 31 1
Career total 115 10 5 0 9 1 4 0 7 0 140 11
  1. ^ Includes appearance in 2020 Canadian Championship final (played in 2022)
  2. ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup

International

As of November 11, 2022
National team Year Apps Goals
Canada 2022 1 0
Total 1 0

References

  1. ^ "Lukas Michael MacNaughton". Universiade.
  2. ^ a b Rendle, Josh (March 7, 2019). "MacNaughton finds new home on West Coast". Pacific FC. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019.
  3. ^ Molinaro, John (February 23, 2022). "TFC's MacNaughton on move from CPL: 'Not like I'm stepping onto the moon'". TFC Republic.
  4. ^ a b c d Buffery, Steve (March 22, 2022). "TFC's Lukas MacNaughton is an architect who has engineered a remarkable soccer comeback".
  5. ^ Breen, Ciarán (October 20, 2016). "U of T's MacNaughton enjoying best year in Blue". Toronto Observer.
  6. ^ a b c "Lukas MacNaughton Varsity Blues profile". Toronto Varsity Blues.
  7. ^ a b "Lukas MacNaughton 2016 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  8. ^ a b "Lukas MacNaughton 2017 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  9. ^ a b "Lukas MacNaughton 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  10. ^ a b "Pacific FC adds pair of central defenders in Starostzik, MacNaughton". Canadian Premier League. March 7, 2019.
  11. ^ Bauman, Martin (April 29, 2019). "'It was a grind': Starostzik provides heroics at both ends in Pacific FC opener". Pacific FC. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019.
  12. ^ "Valour benefits from late penalty kick again". CBC. July 31, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Jacques, John (January 17, 2020). "Pacific FC Re-Signs Wirth, MacNaughton". Northern Tribune.
  14. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (November 13, 2020). "Pacific FC re-signs 4 for 2021 including Chung, Meilleur-Giguère". Canadian Premier League.
  15. ^ "Toronto FC sign defender Lukas MacNaughton". Toronto FC. January 25, 2022.
  16. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (January 25, 2022). "Lukas MacNaughton joins MLS side Toronto FC; Pacific receives Luke Singh on loan". Canadian Premier League.
  17. ^ "New York Red Bulls run wild in 4-1 victory to spoil Toronto FC's home opener". CBC Sports. March 5, 2022.
  18. ^ Buffery, Steve (July 27, 2022). "Toronto FC in penalty kicks in Canadian Championship final". Toronto Sun.
  19. ^ "Nashville Soccer Club Acquires Lukas MacNaughton and Receives Up to $200,000 in General Allocation Money from Toronto FC in Exchange for CJ Sapong". Nashville SC. April 25, 2023.
  20. ^ Jacques, John (April 25, 2023). "Nashville SC Trades For TFC's Lukas MacNaughton". Northern Tribune.
  21. ^ Wright, Ben (May 6, 2023). "Recap: Hany Mukhtar bags hat trick in Chicago Fire route". Broadway Sports Media.
  22. ^ "Nashville Soccer Club Extends Unbeaten Streak to Seven Matches in All Competitions with 2-1 Home Victory over Inter Miami CF". Nashville SC. May 17, 2023.
  23. ^ "Nashville Soccer Club Announces 2024 Roster Decisions". Nashville SC. November 30, 2023.
  24. ^ Lukas MacNaughton at the Canadian Soccer Association
  25. ^ "TRAINING SOUND | Lukas MacNaughton | February 22, 2022 | Toronto FC". Toronto FC. February 22, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  26. ^ "MacNaughton, Nazemi Place 10th at 2017 FISU Summer Universiade". Toronto Varsity Blues. August 29, 2017.
  27. ^ "Canada unveils domestic-heavy squad for Bahrain friendly ahead of World Cup". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  28. ^ Tierney, Mitchell (November 11, 2022). "Former CPLers Waterman, MacNaughton make CanMNT debuts in draw vs. Bahrain". Canadian Premier League.
  29. ^ Molinaro, John (February 15, 2023). "TFC's Lukas MacNaughton has come a long way since CPL days". TFC Republic.
  30. ^ "Lukas MacNaughton". Sutherland Models.
  31. ^ Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (April 27, 2023). "Why Lukas MacNaughton could be the big winner of surprise trade between TFC and Nashville". OneSoccer.
  32. ^ Lukas MacNaughton at Soccerway

External links

Nashville SC – current squad
Categories