Matthew Garrett "Matt" Stinson (born September 9, 1992) is a Canadian former professional

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player who played as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

. He is an assistant coach for his alma mater, the

York Lions The York Lions is the official name for the athletic varsity teams that represent York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of U Sports and, where applicable ...

Club career

Youth

Born in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Stinson began his youth career in the age of five with the Armour Heights Soccer AssociationClub, before joined two years in the age of nine to North York Hearts SC. He played until December 2006 with the Hearts Soccer Club, before played for Clarkson Comets SC in

Mississauga Mississauga is a Canadian city in the province of Ontario. Situated on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, it borders Toronto (Etobicoke) to the east, Brampton to the north, Milton to the northwest, ...

. In 2008, aged 16, he joined

TFC Academy Toronto FC Academy, also known as TFC Academy, is the Youth system, youth academy and development system of Canadian Major League Soccer club Toronto FC, which competes in MLS Next. The academy has divisions from U14 to U19 and includes over 110 ...

for the youth sides inaugural season in the

Canadian Soccer League The Canadian Soccer League (CSL; ) is a semi-professional league for Canadian soccer clubs primarily located in the province of Ontario, and claims the history of the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL). It is a non-FIFA league previously ...

. Stinson quickly progressed in the academy and eventually was named captain of the academy team. In 2010, he left the academy to attend

Winthrop University Winthrop University is a public university in Rock Hill, South Carolina. It was founded in 1886 by David Bancroft Johnson, who served as the superintendent of Columbia, South Carolina schools. He received a grant from Robert Charles Winthrop, a ...

in South Carolina. While at Winthrop, Stinson was named the Team MVP and earned All-Big South Conference Second Team honours.

Professional

In late January 2011 it was announced that Stinson would travel with Toronto's Senior team to

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

for preseason training camp, Stinson was one of four academy players invited to travel. On February 16, 2011, Stinson scored the game's only goal to lift

Toronto FC Toronto Football Club is a Canadian professional Association football, soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matc ...

to a 1–0 victory over

Red Star Belgrade Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, lit=Red Star Football Club), commonly referred to as Crvena zvezda () and colloquially referred to as Red Star Belgrade in anglophone media, is a ...

during the club's preseason. After impressing during the preseason training camp he signed with Toronto FC on March 17, 2011. Stinson made his professional debut on June 25, 2011, as a second half sub for

Javier Martina Javier Sylvester Martina (born 1 February 1987) is a Curaçaoan former professional footballer who played as a winger. He has represented the Curaçao national team. Club career Netherlands Born in Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles (now known ...

in a 3–1 away loss to

Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake (RSL) is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Fou ...

. Stinson was released by Toronto FC on March 19, 2013 and trained with Armour Heights S.C., before returned for his studies to the

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

. He played his first match in his comeback for the

on September 30, 2013, against the

Brock University Brock University is a public university, public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The ...

men soccer Team Badgers. Stinson was a student of York University from September 2011.

International career

Stinson has represented

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

at various youth levels. In 2010, he represented Canada at the Under-20 level. On November 3, 2011, Stinson was called up to the Canadian senior team for Canada's final two matches of 2014 CONCACAF second round world cup qualification vs.

Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis, is an island country consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Less ...

Three days later Stinson was removed from the line-up due to injury,

Nana Attakora Clement "Nana" Attakora-Gyan (born March 27, 1989), known as Nana Attakora and later Clement Attakora, is a Canadian former soccer player and coach, formerly a player and later assistant coach and director of player personnel of Oakland Roots. ...

was brought in to replace him in the 18-man squad. Stinson made his senior team debut January 29, 2013 in an international friendly against

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. He came on as a second half sub for

Terry Dunfield Terence Dunfield (born February 20, 1982) is a Canadian former soccer player, coach and pundit, as well as soccer analyst for TSN and colour commentator for OneSoccer. As a player he was a midfielder who played in the Premier League although ...

, as the game ended in a 0–0 draw.

Career statistics

Honours

Toronto FC *

Canadian Championship The Canadian Championship () is an annual soccer tournament contested by Canadian professional teams. The winner is awarded the Voyageurs Cup and a berth in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. It is contested by Major League Soccer sides Toronto FC, Va ...

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

References

External links

*
York profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stinson, Matt 1992 births Men's association football midfielders Canada men's international soccer players Canada men's under-23 international soccer players Canada men's youth international soccer players Canadian Soccer League (1998–present) players Canadian men's soccer players Homegrown Players (MLS) Living people Major League Soccer players League1 Ontario players Soccer players from Toronto Toronto FC players Winthrop Eagles men's soccer players York Lions men's soccer players York Lions men's soccer coaches Vaughan Azzurri players Toronto FC Academy players 21st-century Canadian sportsmen University and college men's soccer players in Canada