Nyal Higgins
Higgins in action during a match
Higgins in 2022 with FC Edmonton
Personal information
Full name Nyal Christian-Anthony Higgins
Date of birth (1998-01-19) January 19, 1998
Place of birth Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Vaughan Azzurri
Number 4
Youth career
Ajax SC
Vaughan SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Oakland Golden Grizzlies 49 (4)
2019 Syracuse Orange 19 (1)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Vaughan Azzurri 5 (0)
2017 Michigan Bucks 8 (0)
2018 Vaughan Azzurri 3 (0)
2020–2021 Toronto FC II 9 (0)
2020 → Nyköpings BIS (loan) 17 (1)
2021 → Atlético Ottawa (loan) 8 (0)
2022 FC Edmonton 24 (0)
2023– Vaughan Azzurri 18 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of August 27, 2023

Nyal Christian-Anthony Higgins (born January 19, 1998) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays for Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario.

College

In 2016, he attended Oakland University, playing for the Golden Grizzlies soccer team. As a freshman, he was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team and the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Regional Third Team. In his sophomore and junior seasons, he was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team.[1] In 2019, he transferred to Syracuse University to play for the Syracuse Orange soccer team.[2]

Club career

During the 2016 and 2018 seasons, he played with Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario.[3] In 2017, he played with the Michigan Bucks in the Premier Development League.[4] In 2018, he trained with three Major League Soccer clubs - Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew SC, and Nashville SC.[5] He later trained with Toronto FC in 2019.[6]

He was selected 19th overall by Toronto FC in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.[7] He attended pre-season with the club, but ultimately did not make the final roster for 2020.[8] In July, he signed a USL contract with the second-team Toronto FC II.[9] He was soon after sent on loan to Nyköpings BIS in the Swedish third tier, following TFC II's withdrawal from the 2020 USL League One season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] He scored his first goal on November 21, in a 7-1 defeat to IF Brommapojkarna.[11] He made his debut for Toronto FC II on May 22, 2021 against North Texas SC.[12]

In August 2021, Higgins joined Canadian Premier League side Atlético Ottawa on loan.[13][14] He made his debut in a substitute appearance, on August 25, against Forge FC.[15]

In February 2022, he signed a contract with FC Edmonton in the Canadian Premier League.[16]

In 2023, he returned to Vaughan Azzurri.[17] He was named a league Second Team All-Star at the end of the season.[18]

International career

He was a member of the U-18 and U-20 Canada national team talent pools.[19]

Career statistics

As of match played on August 27, 2023[20]
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic Cup League Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vaughan Azzurri[21] 2016 League1 Ontario5000—?050
Michigan Bucks[22] 2017 PDL801000—90
Vaughan Azzurri[23] 2018 League1 Ontario3000—0030
Toronto FC II 2021 USL League One90———90
Nyköpings BIS (loan) 2020 Ettan Norra171—20—191
Atlético Ottawa (loan) 2021 Canadian Premier League80—00—80
FC Edmonton 2022 Canadian Premier League240—10—250
Vaughan Azzurri[24] 2023 League1 Ontario1802010—210
Career total 921304000991

References

  1. ↑ "Nyal Higgins". Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
  2. ↑ Haller, Steve (January 27, 2019). "Syracuse men's soccer welcomes three new additions for the spring semester". SBNation.
  3. ↑ Shealer, Sheldon (January 9, 2020). "Vaughan SC revels in Super day". Top Drawer Soccer.
  4. ↑ Ford, Harold C. (February 26, 2020). "Bucks' success continues into off season". East Village Magazine.
  5. ↑ Grasl, Zac (August 1, 2018). "In the spotlight- Nyal Higgins". The Oakland Post.
  6. ↑ Rea, Cormac (January 9, 2020). "Vaughan SC Makes History As Four League1 Players Selected In 2020 MLS SuperDraft". League1 Ontario.
  7. ↑ Singh, Michael (January 9, 2020). "Toronto FC selects Ajax-native Higgins, Achara in first round of 2020 MLS Draft". Waking the Red.
  8. ↑ "Toronto FC announces roster for first preseason camp". Toronto FC. January 24, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Toronto FC II Sign Nyal Higgins". Toronto FC. July 2, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Toronto FC II Loan Nyal Higgins to Nyköpings BIS". Toronto FC. August 10, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Tung förlust när Nyköping krossades av Brommapojkarna" [Heavy loss when Nyköping was crushed by Brommapojkarna]. Sport Bladet. November 21, 2020.
  12. ↑ "North Texas SC Falls 2-1 Away to Toronto FC II". FC Dallas. May 22, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Atlético Ottawa Sign Nyal Higgins, on loan". Atlético Ottawa. August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Toronto FC II loan Nyal Higgins to Atlético Ottawa". Toronto FC. August 7, 2021.
  15. ↑ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (August 25, 2021). "Pacius scores two as Forge sails past Atlético Ottawa 4-0". Canadian Premier League.
  16. ↑ "FC Edmonton adds defender Nyal Higgins". FC Edmonton. February 25, 2022.
  17. ↑
  18. ↑ "MVP Tomasz Skublak leads line in star-studded XI". League1 Ontario. November 28, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Nyal Higgins". Syracuse Orange.
  20. ↑ Nyal Higgins at Soccerway
  21. ↑ "Nyal Higgins 2016 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  22. ↑ "Michigan Bucks - Nyal Higgins". USL League Two.
  23. ↑ "Nyal Higgins 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  24. ↑ "Nyal Higgins 2023 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
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