Joel Waterman

Following his move to Chicago Fire, Waterman's current-season form is up 94% on last season (Season 18→35), while his Rating held around 26. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 39).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Chicago Fire · 8th	15	1	0	6.82	23	32
2025/26	CF Montreal · 8th	26	1	1	6.85	25	18
2024/25	CF Montreal · 8th	26	0	0	6.96	32	30
2023/24	CF Montreal · 10th	28	1	1	7.01	35	39
2022/23	CF Montreal · 2nd	32	3	2	6.81	42	25

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 4 earlier seasons in the full career.

Canada · international

Side	Apps	G
Canada	19	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerCentral defender

J. Waterman is a 30-year-old central defender at Chicago Fire, enjoying a standout season — 1 goals and 0 assists in 15 appearances, a Season grade of 35, top 25% of Major League Soccer centre-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 26.3, ranking 343rd of 436 in the Major League Soccer. An experienced operator, he has been an ever-present (81.4% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.95 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Waterman.

Judged on this season alone, Waterman graded 35 — a strong campaign that ranks top 25% of the 101 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer, on 4 clean sheets and 2.948 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 18 → 35). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 26, 79th of 101 of the 101 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. At 30 Waterman is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 4.1 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2023/24 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2023/24Holding levelRemarkably consistentInjury-hit 2025/26

Current potential79th of 101 centre-backs · Major League Soccer Current seasonTop 25% centre-backs · Major League Soccer 25th-best centre-back in the Major League Soccer 343rd in the Major League Soccer · potential 79th-highest potential centre-back in the Major League Soccer

26.3

Ratingi

79th of 101 centre-backs

35.2

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

81.4%

Minutes

near ever-present

2.95

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Chicago Fire finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Apps

2.95

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 4 clean sheets across 15 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 81.4% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 26.3, Waterman carries the 79th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Major League Soccer of 101. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1× now → 0.7× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %81.4%

Available fixtures15 of 20

Goals / 900.082

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.082

Defensive actions / 902.948

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Shot conversion %100

Shot accuracy %50

Pass accuracy %89

Dribble success %50

Cards / 900.409

Foul involvement / 901.884

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~8), then tapers with age. At 30, Waterman sits on 4.1, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Waterman's projected Rating — 26.3 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Major League Soccer with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target1

Shots2

Passing

Assists0

Chances created3

Passes868

Pass accuracy89%

Possession

Successful dribbles1

Dribble success50%

Duels won36

Duels won %52.2%

Fouls won9

Defending

Tackles13

Interceptions12

Blocks11

Fouls committed14

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards5

Red cards0

Transfer history

Chicago FireAug 2025 – now

CF MontrealJan 2020 – Aug 2025

CCavalry FCuntil Jan 2020

About J. Waterman

Joel Robert Waterman is a 30-year-old centre-back who plays for Chicago Fire, born on January 24, 1996 in Langley, standing 185 cm tall. He is from Canada. Chicago Fire currently sit 8th of 15 in the Major League Soccer.

This season

In the current season, J. Waterman has made 15 appearances with 1 goal and 0 assists across 1,099 minutes, averaging a 6.91 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 5 yellow cards. Though primarily a centre-back, he has also lined up in midfield this season.

When J. Waterman plays, Chicago Fire's record this season is 8W-2D-5L — and his match ratings average 6.92 at home against 6.74 on the road.

Recent matches

August 19, 2026: 2-1 win away at Orlando City SC (86 minutes, 7.5 rating)
August 14, 2026: 2-1 win away at Cruz Azul (90 minutes, 6.6 rating)
August 2, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Charlotte (96 minutes, 7.2 rating)
July 25, 2026: 1-3 loss away at New York City FC (90 minutes, 1 goal, 7.2 rating)
July 22, 2026: 2-3 loss away at Inter Miami (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)
May 24, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Toronto FC (28 minutes, 6.9 rating)
May 16, 2026: 2-0 win away at CF Montreal (90 minutes, 7.2 rating)
May 9, 2026: 1-3 loss at home vs New York Red Bulls (90 minutes, 6.7 rating)
April 26, 2026: 5-0 win at home vs Sporting Kansas City (90 minutes, 7.6 rating)
April 18, 2026: 3-3 draw away at FC Cincinnati (17 minutes, 6 rating)

J. Waterman's next match is on August 29, 2026, when Chicago Fire face Seattle Sounders away in the Major League Soccer.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Waterman at 26.3 with a Season form score of 35.2, ranking 343rd of 436 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the Canadian Championship. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 9 recorded seasons, J. Waterman has totalled 180 club appearances with 7 goals and 7 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2022/23, with 32 appearances for CF Montreal.

J. Waterman's career has also included time at CF Montreal and CCavalry FC.

On the international stage, J. Waterman has represented Canada — 19 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Also this season

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Chicago Fire finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points

Outlook

Per 90 & availability

Player flow

Season-by-season progression

Value & potential by age

Season statistics

Shooting

Passing

Possession

Defending

Yellow/red cards

Transfer history

About J. Waterman

This season

Recent matches

Field Insider's view

Career

Transfer news

Related players

Career

Per 90 & availability

Player flow

Season-by-season progression

Value & potential by age

Transfer history

About J. Waterman

This season

Recent matches

Field Insider's view

Career

Related players