“Maritime Messi” is going Hollywood.
Los Angeles FC announced the acquisition of Canada winger Jacob Shaffelburg from Nashville on Monday in exchange for $1 million in General Allocation Money.
Shaffelburg, 26, spent the past four seasons in Tennessee. He made 23 league appearances in 2025, scoring four goals and adding a pair of assists.
“Jacob is a versatile, attack-minded player who brings incredible pace and intensity to our group,” LAFC general manager John Thorrington said in a statement. “He has proven himself at the international level with Canada and enters an important year with big ambitions ahead, hopefully including the World Cup. Just as important, he is a person of high character, who approaches the game with humility, professionalism, and a team-first mindset. We’re excited to add Jacob to our strong returning core and to welcome him, his wife Robyne, and his children to the LAFC family.”
A native of Kentville, NS, Shaffelburg signed his first professional contract in 2018 with Toronto FC and made his Major League Soccer debut in 2019. After 46 league appearances for the Reds, Shaffelburg was sent on loan to Nashville in the summer of 2022. The loan was made permanent that offseason.
In 128 MLS games across eight seasons with TFC and Nashville, Shaffelburg has 14 goals and 11 assists.
Internationally, Shaffelburg has been capped 31 times by Canada since his senior debut in 2020. He scored his first international goal during the 2023 Gold Cup. Shaffelburg has five goals in a Canada shirt.
