Jacob Shaffelburg, formerly a player who struggled for minutes, has stormed onto the scene. The homegrown hero that Nashville SC has signed is sweeping MLS. His lightning-fast speed and excellent goal-scoring ability have revolutionized Nashville’s assault and given them a new lease on life. Shaffelburg’s influence on Major League Soccer (MLS) is clear as he keeps getting better, drawing interest from soccer fans all over the country.
Jacob Shaffelburg Makes Waves In Major League Soccer
Jacob Shaffelburg, the star of Nashville SC, is one of the players on the Canadian men’s national team who have been pushed into a larger platform by the Copa América. The 24-year-old midfielder made an impression at the tournament with both his overall play and his goal and assist from five games.
With a top speed of 36.66 km/h, as revealed by Major League Soccer, Jacob Shaffelburg is the second-fastest player in the league this year. The only person quicker was Moïse Bombito, a colleague from Canada who ran 37.27 km/h.
Shaffelburg’s agility has been one of Canada’s main advantages in this competition. His relentless shooting of crosses has seen him rank second in the entire Copa America with 17 goals and an incredible record of 5.39 per ninety minutes, which leads the competition. Not only does he score a lot, but his level of accuracy is also high; 41.18% of his crosses are accurate, ranking him 11th overall.
Jacob Shaffelburg‘s impact, though, extends beyond crosses. With 0.5 xG plus xA, which combines the chance of his shots going in (anticipated goals) with the probability of his passes resulting in goals (expected assists), Wyscout’s advanced metrics place him 11th in the Copa America.
With 18 touches inside the penalty box, he is second only to Darwin Núñez of Liverpool for getting into zones of danger. Moreover, Shaffelburg has made five crucial passes during the competition to tie Núñez’s Colombian colleague Luis Díaz for second position in terms of producing clear-cut opportunities.
Jacob Shaffelburg Has The Potential To Become Better
On the field, Jacob Shaffelburg, the rising star from Canada, is unstoppable. Canada has only managed two goals in the competition despite his excellent speed (second-fastest in MLS!). Shaffelburg helped Jonathan David out and scored a goal against Venezuela.
Shaffelburg still has to work on his endurance. Coach Marsch is encouraging him to keep his explosive play going throughout the game rather than fade at the 60-minute mark. This was evident in the Argentina semi-final, where Shaffelburg began strong but gradually wore down and was replaced by Millar.
Jacob Shaffelburg’s next challenge is, in general, consistency. His attacking runs and quick bursts of speed are evident, but he needs to convert them into longer-lasting effects. His scoring record of two goals and three assists in twenty games for Nashville suggests he still has an opportunity to develop despite his obvious potential.
European scouts, however, have yet to be put off by this. Shaffelburg is already on their radar due to his performance in the Copa America, and this summer, he might be a hot transfer target. But Jesse Marsch, the coach, is concerned about Canada’s inability to find the net. He’ll have to figure out how to take advantage of Shaffelburg’s perseverance to win the third-place game on Saturday.
There is a big need for ingrown talent in the MLS, for the league to grow and garner more interest. Big signings and high-profile players are great but the names coming up from within the country in the need of the hour.
For More Great Content
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
