Dejan Jakovic

Dejan Jakovic (Serbian Cyrillic: Дејан Јаковић,[1] pronounced [dějan jâkoʋitɕ];[2][3] born 16 July 1985) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a centre-back for the Serbian White Eagles. Internationally, he represented the Canada national team from 2008 to 2018.

Dejan Jakovic
Jakovic with Serbian White Eagles in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1985-07-16) 16 July 1985
Place of birth Karlovac, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Serbian White Eagles
Number 4
Youth career
Kingsview
Rexdale SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 UAB Blazers 50 (8)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007 Canadian Lions
2008–2009 Red Star Belgrade 3 (0)
2009–2013 D.C. United 98 (1)
2014–2016 Shimizu S-Pulse 42 (0)
2017 New York Cosmos 22 (1)
2018–2020 Los Angeles FC 34 (1)
2019 → Las Vegas Lights (loan) 4 (0)
2021 Forge FC 5 (0)
2022– Serbian White Eagles
International career‡
2008 Canada U23 5 (0)
2008–2018 Canada 41 (1)
Managerial career
2023 Toronto FC (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:59, 18 August 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 March 2018

Early life and career

Born in Karlovac, SR Croatia prior to the breakup of Yugoslavia, Jakovic was brought by his parents to Canada at the age of six following the outbreak of war in 1991. They settled in Etobicoke, part of Metropolitan Toronto.[4] His father Nenad played for NK Karlovac in Croatia.[5]

Jakovic took up soccer in Canada. He was a four-year letterwinner at Scarlett Heights Academy, and was named team MVP as a junior and senior, captaining both indoor and outdoor teams. He played in the Canada national youth program, and also for two-time Ontario Cup winner Woodbridge Strikers under Bob Graham. He was a member of the team that competed at the 2004 Dallas Cup, played with former UAB teammate Lukasz Kwapisz.[6]

At the age of eighteen, Jakovic had a trial with OFK Beograd, but was not signed by the team.[7]

College

After failing to make the OFK squad, Jakovic accepted a scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and went on to play four years of college soccer for the Blazers.[8]

In 2007, he played with the Canadian Lions of the Canadian Soccer League where he was selected for the Locust CSL All Star game.[9][10]

Club career

Red Star Belgrade

On 28 June 2008, soon to be twenty-three-year-old Jakovic joined Red Star Belgrade ahead of the 2008–09 season, after successfully completing a tryout with the team.[11] He officially signed with the club on 30 June 2008.[12]

Jakovic made three league starts at the beginning of the season under head coach Zdeněk Zeman. However, following a coaching change on 6 September 2008, Dejan lost his spot in the team and failed to register a single league appearance following the appointment of new head coach Čedomir Janevski.

At the 2008-09 winter break, Red Star began looking at options to move Jakovic. In December 2008 it was reported he would be sent to FK Rad along with Marko Blažić, another player who started under Zeman but had played sparsely since Janevski took over, as part of a deal to bring defender Nemanja Pejčinović to Red Star.[13] However, by February 2009, no trade had been announced by the teams, and Jakovic was still on the list Red Star players that started preparations for second half of the season.[14]

D.C. United
Jakovic in 2012

Jakovic signed for Major League Soccer side D.C. United on 27 February 2009.[15] Jakovic scored his first goal for the club on 26 May 2012 against New England Revolution, the game ended in a 3–2 home victory.[16] Jakovic signed a contract extension with D.C. United following the 2012 season.[17]

Shimizu S-Pulse

Jakovic signed with Japanese club Shimizu S-Pulse on 14 January 2014.[18] Jakovic was released by Shimizu S-Pulse on 5 February 2017.[19]

New York Cosmos

In March 2017, Jakovic signed with North American Soccer League club New York Cosmos.[20]

Los Angeles FC

Jakovic returned to the top flight when he signed with MLS expansion club Los Angeles FC in January 2018.[21] Jakovic would make his LAFC debut against the Seattle Sounders during the 2018 season opener.[22] He re-signed with Los Angeles in January 2019 ahead of the 2019 MLS season.[23]

He moved on loan to Las Vegas Lights on 7 June 2019.[24] He was recalled three weeks later on the 28th.[25] Jakovic's option for the 2020 season was declined by Los Angeles, but he signed a new contract with the club in December 2019.[26][27]

Forge FC

On 13 May 2021, Jakovic signed with defending Canadian Premier League champions Forge FC.[28] He left the club after one season.[29]

Serbian White Eagles

Jakovic returned to the Canadian Soccer League for the 2022 season to sign with the Serbian White Eagles.[30][31] He made his debut on June 26, 2022, against the Toronto Falcons.[30] He helped the Serbs in securing the regular-season title including a playoff berth.[32] In the second round of the postseason Jakovic served as the team captain where the Serbs were eliminated from the competition after a defeat to FC Continentals.[33]

International career
Jakovic with Canada in 2010.

Jakovic made his debut for the senior Canadian men's soccer team on 30 January 2008 against Martinique. Later in 2008, he earned five caps for the Canada U-23 squad in the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament, during which Canada finished third, one place out of qualification. Jakovic was also chosen in the 23-man roster for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup;[34] Canada won Group A with 7 points before being knocked out by Honduras in the quarter-finals.[35]

Jakovic was selected for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, however sustained a hamstring injury a week prior to the group stage in a friendly at BMO Field against Ecuador the match ended 2–2. David Edgar was selected on 6 June to replace Jakovic in the 23-man squad for the CONCACAF tournament.[36]

Managerial career

In 2023, he became involved with Toronto FC and became an assistant coach for the club's academy program.[37][38]

Career statistics
As of match played on 8 November 2020[39][40][41]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Red Star Belgrade 2008–09 Serbian Superliga 3000—2[lower-alpha 1]0—50
D.C. United 2009 MLS 23000—2[lower-alpha 2]0—250
2010 MLS 19020———210
2011 MLS 15000———150
2012 MLS 23100——4[lower-alpha 3]0271
2013 MLS 18020———300
Total 98140—20401081
Shimizu S-Pulse 2014 J1 League 2502050——320
2015 J1 League 1600010——170
2016 J2 League 100000——10
Total 4202060——500
New York Cosmos 2017 NASL 22110——2[lower-alpha 4]0250
Los Angeles FC2018 MLS 15030——00180
2019 MLS 3000——1[lower-alpha 3]040
2020 MLS 16100—202[lower-alpha 5]0201
Total 34130002020411
Las Vegas Lights (loan) 2019 USL Championship 4000———40
Forge FC 2021 Canadian Premier League 5000—00—50
Career total 20821006060902392
  1. Appearances in the UEFA Europa League.
  2. Appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League.
  3. Appearance(s) in the MLS Cup playoffs.
  4. Appearances in the North American Soccer League playoffs.
  5. Knockout Round of the MLS is Back Tournament

Honours

D.C. United

References
  1. "Dejan Jaković - Canada Soccer". Canada Soccer. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  2. "Dèjan". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 18 March 2018. Dèjan
  3. "Jȁkov". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 18 March 2018. Jȁković
  4. "Jaković Is a Good Fit With United". Washington Post. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  5. "Feature: Dejan Jakovic". DCUnited.com.
  6. "Dejan Jaković Player Bio – UAB". University of Alabama Birmingham Sports. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  7. "Nisam više amater". Kurir. 4 August 2008. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  8. "Dejan Jakovic Player Bio – UAB". University of Alabama Birmingham Sports. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  9. "July 24, 2007 CSL All Star game lineups (from CSL media release)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  10. "NY Cosmos Renew Contract With Dejan Jaković". New York Cosmos. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  11. "Zeman prozvao 11 novajlija". Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  12. "Potpisao ceo tim za Zvezdu!". Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  13. "Nemanja Pejčinović u Zvezdi". 20 December 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  14. "Šišić: "Odmalena u crveno-belom"". 31 January 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  15. "D.C. United sign defender Dejan Jakovic". DC United. 28 February 2009. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  16. "Revolution bow to D.C. United". Boston Globe. 27 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  17. "Dejan Jakovic signs New Contract". DC United. 20 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  18. "DC United transfer Canadian international Dejan Jakovic to J. League club Shimizu S-Pulse". 14 January 2014. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  19. ヤコヴィッチ選手 契約解除のお知らせ. s-pulse.co.jp (in Japanese). Shimizu S-Pulse. 5 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  20. "New York Cosmos sign experienced Centre Back Dejan Jakovic". New York Cosmos. 22 March 2017.
  21. "LAFC Acquires Defender Dejan Jaković". LAFC.com. Los Angeles FC. 30 January 2018. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  22. Dylan Butler (4 March 2018). "Seattle Sounders FC 0, Los Angeles Football Club 1 | 2018 MLS Match Recap". MLS.
  23. "LAFC Re-Signs Defender Dejan Jaković". LAFC.com. Los Angeles FC. 16 January 2019.
  24. "LAFC Loans Defender Dejan Jaković To Las Vegas Lights FC". LAFC.com. Los Angeles FC. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  25. "LAFC Recalls Defender Dejan Jaković From Las Vegas Lights FC". LAFC.com. Los Angeles FC. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  26. "LAFC Announces Roster Moves Following Record-Breaking 2019 Season". LAFC.com. Los Angeles FC. 21 November 2019.
  27. "LAFC Re-Signs Veteran Defenders Jordan Harvey And Dejan Jaković". LAFC.com. Los Angeles FC. 31 December 2019.
  28. Benedict Rhodes (13 May 2021). "Forge FC sign CanMNT veteran Dejan Jakovic". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  29. "Canadian Championship edition (March 11, 2022)". OneSoccer Live Q&A Roundtable. OneSoccer. 11 March 2022. 44 minutes in.
  30. Adamson, Stan (27 June 2022). "Continentals Defeat York Region 3-2, Falcons tie with Serbian White Eagles". Canadian Soccer League. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  31. "Играо је у Звезди, а сада је узданица српских Белих орлова" [He played in Zvezda, and now he is a supporter of the Serbian White Eagles]. Politika Online. 10 July 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  32. Adamson, Stan (29 September 2022). "The Two Sides to Serbian White Eagles". serbianwhiteeagles.ca. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  33. Vujcic, Djuradj (20 August 2022). "Continentals Come Out on Top in Semi-Final". serbianwhiteeagles.ca. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  34. "Dejan Jakovic Player Profile". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  35. "HONDURAS OUSTS CANADA IN GOLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL". TSN. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  36. Molinaro, John (6 June 2011). "Canada set for Gold Cup showdown with USA". CBC Sports. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  37. "Forge's Dejan Jakovic Resurfaces With TFC Coaching Staff". northerntribune.ca. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  38. "2023 Staff | Toronto FC". torontofc. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  39. "Dejan Jaković » Club matches". World Football. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  40. "Dejan Jaković » CONCACAF Champions League 2009/2010". World Football. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  41. "D. Jaković". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  42. "D.C. United Earns Third Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship with 1-0 Victory Against Real Salt Lake". U.S. Soccer Federation. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
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