Jamaican teenage forward Jahmarie Nolan looks to turn heads in Toronto

Jamaican youth international forward Jahmarie Nolan is shown in Toronto on Wednesday March 19, 2025, signing an MLS Next Pro contract with Toronto FC II. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Toronto FC *MANDATORY CREDIT *

TORONTO — Teenage forward Jahmarie Nolan opened his Toronto FC II scoring account on May 9, finding a seam in the Chattanooga FC defence and leaving ‘keeper Eldin Jakupović rooted to the spot with a well-placed low shot in the corner of the goal.

With the Toronto reserve side still trailing 2-1 after the 88th-minute goal, there was no time for celebration. Nolan just grabbed the ball out of the goal and raced back to centre field to start the game again.

The 15-year-old Jamaican youth international has been on the move for a while now.

Nolan was just 14 when he made his debut in the Jamaica Premier League for Mount Pleasant FA on Oct. 7, 2024, and scored his first goal against Vere United on Jan. 30. Nolan, who was nine or 10 when he joined Mount Pleasant, scored one goal and added two assists in 11 appearances during the 2024-2025 season.

He signed with TFC 2 on March 24, becoming the youngest player in club history to sign an MLS Next Pro contract. Nolan made his debut April 25, coming off the bench in the 61st minute against Chicago Fire II.

The advice from TFC 2 coach Gianni Cimini was simple.

“He said to just enjoy and play free,” Nolan recalled. “I was a little bit nervous because I hadn’t played overseas in a while, but when I got the first touch on the ball, everything just disappeared. I started to play freely.”

Nolan has one goal in six appearances, including three starts, to date.

“The footballing here is quite different than back in Jamaica,” the soft-spoken teen said in his lilting island accent. “In Jamaica, it’s more physical. Here it’s more technique. A higher standard here, definitely.”

Toronto FC coach Robin Fraser, who was also born in Jamaica, welcomed the five-foot-10, 160-pounder and his family to the club.

“It was nice to have a young man come straight from the island,” said Fraser, who acknowledged having some initial concerns about such a young signing from overseas.

“This is a whole different level of professionalism, I would think, than he’s used to … But he seems to be settling in really really well.”

“Certainly at his age and his build, he’s somebody that is really interesting to us,” he added.

Nolan has enjoyed his time with the club so far, even if unseasonably cool weather has been a shock to the system.

He has family here, in the form of his mother, brother, two uncles and assorted cousins. Plus, he lives in an apartment complex that houses several of his TFC 2 teammates.

Nolan has represented Jamaica at multiple youth levels, scoring three goals in CONCACAF U-17 qualifying play in February in Guatemala.

“From there, my agent told me TFC was interested,” he said. “And I was like, ‘Why not come and get the experience here?’”

Toronto was happy to get him.

“We definitely see a high ceiling for him,” said Toronto technical director Sean Rubio. “We’ve been pretty open that we see him slotting in amongst our highest level of prospects, so to speak.”

A former midfielder, Nolan has moved up front with Jamaica and Toronto, often in the role of a false No. 9 — a role he likes since it gives him the freedom to find space in the defence.

Growing up, he liked watching Manchester City star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski.

But he is his own man.

“I have a good scoring mentality. I like to go forward,” he said when asked what kind of player he is. “I’m very passionate about (football)”

When not training or playing, Nolan continues his studies online. The Grade 10 student says school and soccer have kept him busy, and he has yet to explore the city around him.

Nolan has his eye on another move in the future.

“(Toronto) is just the first step for me,” he said. “I want to be in Europe (in) the next two years. I’m trying to modify my game day by day, score goals, get assists, and just try to get to the big stage.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press