Jalen Neal
{{short description|American soccer player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jalen Neal
| image =
| fullname = Jalen Christopher Neal{{cite web |url=https://mcusercontent.com/78d3589fb61466b549ff752e5/files/bd9f0cff-c7cc-fe27-64e5-8b53fdb0a362/23_CNLF_Preliminary_Rosters_0519.pdf |title=National team roster – 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals: USA |publisher=CONCACAF |page=8 |date=May 19, 2023 |access-date=May 19, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519173426/https://mcusercontent.com/78d3589fb61466b549ff752e5/files/bd9f0cff-c7cc-fe27-64e5-8b53fdb0a362/23_CNLF_Preliminary_Rosters_0519.pdf |archive-date=May 19, 2023}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|8|24}}
| birth_place = Lakewood, California, United States
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=3}}{{Cite web |title=Jalen Neal |url=https://www.lagalaxy.com/players/jalen-neal/ |access-date=20 August 2022 |publisher=LA Galaxy}}
| currentclub = CF Montréal
| clubnumber = 2
| position = Center-back
| youthyears1 = 2015–2020
| youthclubs1 = LA Galaxy
| years1 = 2020–2024
| clubs1 = LA Galaxy II
| caps1 = 49
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2021–2024
| clubs2 = LA Galaxy
| caps2 = 34
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2025–
| clubs3 = CF Montréal
| caps3 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2019
| nationalteam1 = United States U16
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2021–2022
| nationalteam2 = United States U20
| nationalcaps2 = 10
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 2023–
| nationalteam3 = United States
| nationalcaps3 = 6
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = January 6, 2025
| ntupdate = July 9, 2023
}}
Jalen Christopher Neal (born August 24, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center-back for Major League Soccer club CF Montréal.{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/jalen-neal/576394/|title=USA – J. Neal – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com}}
Club career
Neal joined the LA Galaxy Academy in 2016,{{Cite web|url=https://www.the562.org/2021/01/27/feature-jalen-neal-not-your-average-soccer-pro-at-17/|title=FEATURE: Jalen Neal Not Your Average Soccer Pro At 17|work=The 562|first=J.J.|last=Fiddler|date=January 27, 2021|accessdate=December 5, 2022}} appearing in the former U.S. Soccer Development Academy system before graduating to the club's USL Championship affiliate LA Galaxy II in 2020. After making his professional debut on July 11 in a 4–0 defeat to Phoenix Rising,{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2020/07/12/united-states/mls-reserve-league/arizona-united/la-galaxy-ii/3283983/|title=Phoenix Rising vs. LA Galaxy II – 12 July 2020 – Soccerway|work=Soccerway|accessdate=December 5, 2022}} he would make 13 total league appearances for the club, scoring his first goal in the final match of the season against Reno 1868.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lagconfidential.com/2020/10/10/21511095/reno-1868-fc-4-la-galaxy-ii-1-final-score-report-result-recap-playoffs|title=All done: Reno 1868 FC 4, LA Galaxy II 1|work=LAG Confidential|first=Alicia|last=Rodriguez|date=October 10, 2020|accessdate=December 5, 2022|quote=Mauricio Cuevas hit a free kick deep in the corner that was headed in by defender Jalen Neal to make it 1-1.}} Owing to his community outreach efforts, he was named the team's Humanitarian of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://laxsportsnation.com/2021/06/07/speak-softly-or-the-things-that-stick/|title=Speak softly or The things that stick|work=Los Angeles Sports Nation|first=Rob|last=Jalon|date=June 7, 2021|accessdate=December 5, 2022}}
On January 20, 2021, Neal signed with LA Galaxy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/la-galaxy-sign-us-youth-international-defender-jalen-neal|title=LA Galaxy sign US youth international defender Jalen Neal | MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer}} He made his competitive debut for the club in May 2022, making a late substitute appearance in the club's U.S. Open Cup victory over California United Strikers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lagconfidential.com/2022/10/30/23431408/la-galaxy-2022-player-postmortem-jalen-neal|title=LA Galaxy 2022 Player Postmortem: Jalen Neal|work=LAG Confidential|first=Alicia|last=Rodriguez|date=October 30, 2022|accessdate=December 5, 2022}}
Neal was dealt to CF Montréal on January 6, 2025.{{cite web |title=LA Galaxy Acquire $650,000 in General Allocation Money and 2025 International Roster Slot from CF Montréal in Exchange for Defender Jalen Neal |url=https://www.lagalaxy.com/news/la-galaxy-acquire-650-000-in-general-allocation-money-and-2025-international-roster-slot-from-cf-montreal-in-exchange-for-defender-jalen-neal |website=LAGalaxy.com |publisher=LA Galaxy |access-date=6 January 2025}}
International career
In November 2021, Neal was named to the United States national under-20 team for the 2021 Revelations Cup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/11/u20-usmnt-kicks-off-new-cycle-at-revelations-cup-vs-brazil-colombia-and-mexico|title=U-20 USMNT Kicks Off New Cycle at Revelations Cup Vs. Brazil, Colombia and Mexico|website=www.ussoccer.com}} Despite being eligible for the team ahead of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Neal was not released by LA Galaxy and therefore did not participate in the tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2023/05/13/galaxys-jalen-neal-denied-a-u-20-world-cup-spot-sees-the-positive/|title=Galaxy's Jalen Neal, denied a U-20 World Cup spot, sees the positive|first=Damian|last=Calhoun|work=Los Angeles Daily News|date=May 13, 2023|access-date=June 21, 2023}}
Neal received his maiden call up to the senior national team for the 2023 January camp.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lagconfidential.com/2023/1/18/23560990/la-galaxy-jalen-neal-called-up-us-mens-national-team-camp|title=LA Galaxy's Jalen Neal called up to U.S. Men's National Team camp|first=Alicia|last=Rodriguez|work=LAG Confidential|date=January 18, 2023|access-date=January 18, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2023-01-24/usmnt-jalen-neal-soccer|title=The secret is out: Galaxy's Jalen Neal ready to contribute to U.S. national team|first=Kevin|last=Baxter|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 24, 2023|access-date=January 26, 2023}} He made his debut on January 25 in a 2–1 friendly defeat to Serbia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2023/01/25/usmnt-falls-to-serbia-as-8-players-make-senior-team-debuts/|title=USMNT falls to Serbia as 8 players make senior team debuts|first=Damian|last=Calhoun|work=Pasadena Star-News|date=January 25, 2023|access-date=January 26, 2023}}
Neal was named to the provisional and final roster for the senior national team at the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Neal made his competitive debut against Jamaica off the bench, and then started the other two group stage matches versus Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago respectively. Neal then became the youngest center back to appear for the USMNT in a knockout round match, at only 19 years, 319 days in the quarterfinal match up versus Canada.{{Cite web |title=USMNT vs. Canada - Match Report, Highlights & Stats {{!}} 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup Quarterfinal |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2023/07/2023-concacaf-gold-cup-usmnt-2-canada-2-match-report-highlights-stats |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=www.ussoccer.com |language=en}} Although Neal was subbed out for a minor injury, the United States went advanced through a penalty shootout victory.
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played December 7, 2024}}{{cite web|title=Jalen Neal|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/jalen-neal/2/|website=WorldFootball.net|access-date=March 26, 2023}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|Playoffs !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="5"|LA Galaxy II
|2020 |USL |12 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 13 | 1 | ||||
| 2021
|USL |14 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 1 | |||||
| 2022
|USL |21 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 21 | 0 | |||||
| 2024
|2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | |||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!49 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 50 | 2 | ||||
| rowspan="4"|LA Galaxy
|2022 |MLS |colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|Appearances in Leagues Cup|name=LC}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2023
|MLS |16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|name=LC}} | 0 | 20 | 1 | |||
| 2024
|MLS |18 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|name=LC}} | 0 | 24 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!34||1||3||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||6||0||46||1 | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="1"|CF Montréal
|2025 |MLS |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | |||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!83 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 96 | 3 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played July 9, 2023}}{{NFT|89886}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="1"|United States
|2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 6 | 0 |
Honors
LA Galaxy
- MLS Cup: 2024{{cite news |last=Sigal |first=Jonathan |date=December 7, 2024 |title=Champions! LA Galaxy lift MLS Cup 2024 over New York Red Bulls |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/champions-la-galaxy-lift-mls-cup-2024-over-new-york-red-bulls |accessdate=December 8, 2024 |work=Major League Soccer}}
United States U20
Individual
- CONCACAF U-20 Championship Best XI: 2022
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{MLS player}}
- {{USL Championship player}}
- {{U.S. Soccer player|n/jalen-neal}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20210423231621/http://glxy.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=1654414&player=76456795 Jalen Neal] at the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (archived)
{{CF Montréal squad}}
{{United States squad 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neal, Jalen}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:United States men's under-20 international soccer players
Category:Ventura County FC players
Category:Sportspeople from Lakewood, California
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Homegrown Players (MLS)
Category:Soccer players from Los Angeles County, California
Category:USL Championship players
Category:United States men's international soccer players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup players