Biography
Who is Dejan Jakovic?
Early life and education
Dejan Jakovic was born in Karlovac, Croatia, before moving to Canada with his parents at age six. His family settled in Etobicoke within the Metropolitan Toronto area following the 1991 outbreak of war. His father, Nenad, previously played for NK Karlovac in Croatia.
During his youth, Dejan played soccer at Scarlett Heights Academy, where he served as team captain for both outdoor and indoor squads. He earned MVP honors during his junior and senior years. He also played for the Woodbridge Strikers and participated in the 2004 Dallas Cup.
Professional club career
After receiving a scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dejan played four years of college soccer for the Blazers. He later joined Red Star Belgrade in June 2008 after a successful tryout. He made three league starts for the Serbian club before a coaching change impacted his playing time.
In February 2009, he signed with D.C. United in Major League Soccer. He scored his first goal for the club against the New England Revolution in May 2012. He also won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with D.C. United in 2013 and later signed a contract extension there.
His career included stints with Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan and the New York Cosmos. He also played for Los Angeles FC, where he debuted against the Seattle Sounders FC. In 2019, he went on loan to Las Vegas Lights FC before returning to Los Angeles.
International and coaching career
Dejan Jakovic represented the Canadian men's national soccer team between 2008 and 2018. He made his senior debut against Martinique on January 30, 2008. He was also part of the rosters for the 2009 and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cups.
He played for the Canada U-23 squad during the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament, where the team earned third place. His club history also features appearances for Forge FC and the Serbian White Eagles, with the latter winning the Canadian Soccer League regular season title in 2022.
In 2023, he began a coaching role with Toronto FC. He serves as the head coach for their U-16 academy program. This transition marks his move into managerial work after his long professional playing career.
Birthday and age
Dejan Jakovic was born on July 16, 1985, which makes Dejan 41 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Dejan shares the date with 32 other famous people.
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