Soccer’s Promised Land can turn sour, even for Whitecaps Nelson, Ahmed

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There is the dream of European soccer. And then there is the reality of European soccer. And much of the time, they never converge.

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Ali Ahmed’s dream led him across the Atlantic to Lisbon as a 17-year-old, with visions of playing for Belenenses’s youth squad.

The reality was him, in a hostel, eating Ramen noodles for six months, waiting impatiently to play for someone. He came home to Toronto, then tried again the next year. Again, it was hotels and hostels, meagre success, the greatest benefit being unforgiving life lessons.

Europe will always be the Mecca of soccer. The modern game has its roots in England, the game’s most popular leagues are there, the biggest stars, the most storied clubs.

Its allure is universal for any youth with pro aspirations. But the love they feel can be unrequited at times.

Jayden Nelson was another Toronto prospect with dreams of Champions League football. A young player with electric skill and athleticism came up through the TFC’s youth ranks, having been part of the academy since age 14.

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Finally breaking through to the senior squad as a Homegrown player in 2020, he looked to make his mark as a top-flight pro. But circumstance — and citizenship — worked against him.

Toronto invested heavily in international attackers; Alejandro Pozuelo. Pablo Piatti. Erickson Gallardo. Yeferson Soteldo. And when the Reds backed up the Brinks truck for Italians Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne in 2022, Nelson figured it was time to chase his European dream.

“It was difficult because TFC has so much money, and I’m an attacking player. They’re always gonna buy someone for (selling) tickets, someone for the fans,” said Nelson. “I had to figure out a way, because I have talent, and I know I have talent, and I had to move. Norway was a good stepping-stone to towards where I wanted to go. It was just a matter of what came next after that. That’s what made it difficult.”

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Nelson crossed the Atlantic as well, landing in the coastal city of Trondheim with Norwegian side Rosenborg BK in a US$1 million transfer. The Troll Children, as their nickname translates, were one of the most successful clubs in Norway, with a record 26 championships and 12 domestic cup victories. In their 100-plus-year existence, they’ve played more European football than any other Eliteserien club.

They have history. The impolite might call them old, though. Their stadium was built in 1947, though it’s been renovated five times. It was a big change from a big-bank club like TFC for Nelson.

“MLS standards of facilities, and things like that, is top,” said Nelson. “So going there was a shock. My team was a Champions League team, and we didn’t have half of the things that we have here in MLS. That was one of the things I had to get used to. But we got to play in Europe, things I dreamt of, so that was the bright side of it.”

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He had five goals in 35 games for Rosenborg, and the experience was generally a positive one, language and cultural differences aside, and he wanted more. He said he had offers from Turkey, Belgium and Scotland, but had his sights set on France, however when an offer to go on loan to Ulm in Germany came up during the summer window, he jumped.

He had a Zoom call with manager Thomas Wörle, who told him their plans to play him, develop him and sell him on in six months. Ulm was a team that was coming off two straight seasons of promotion, from the fourth division to the 2.Bundesliga, and didn’t have a deep bankroll. But they were high on the attacking abilities Nelson had.

“I’m coming from TFC … and I was kind of fed from a golden spoon,” Nelson said. “I just wanted to leave (Norway) and to go to something better, even after a decent first season. Going to Germany was the worst decision. That was a bad decision. And I think that’s what really made the tour of Europe difficult.”

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Nelson played six games, with zero goals. He likened the stadium to a high school pitch. The language barrier was extreme, with no effort to integrate him. Wörle’s system was highly defensive, the antithesis of Nelson’s high-speed skill set, and the Canadian soon ran afoul of his coach and found himself on the bench.

Europe, Nelson decided, wasn’t the place for him. He opted for MLS, and playing for a former rival in the Vancouver Whitecaps, though a team with plenty of familiar faces. Ahmed and midfielder Ralph Priso were both former TFC organization players, and Sam Adekugbe was a teammate on the national team. Adekugbe also spent four years in Europe, and three more in Turkey, before coming back to MLS.

A record-setting debut and dynamic start to the season confirmed the wisdom of the move. But Europe, that’s still in the back of his mind.

“Coming here to Vancouver was the best decision, because there’s so much support, guys I know already,” he said. “And a guy like me, I’m just hungry for more than just MLS, you know? I’m still pushing, pushing.

“(Europe) was definitely the dream, and that’s definitely still my dream.”

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