John Nelson

Nelson's current-season form is level with last season (Season 13→11), while his Rating held around 29. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 25).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Los Angeles Galaxy · 10th	23	0	0	6.39	29	13
2025/26	Los Angeles Galaxy · 14th	31	0	1	6.66	29	13
2024/25	Los Angeles Galaxy · 8th	28	1	1	6.83	35	13
2023/24	St. Louis City · 8th	22	0	0	6.56	38	25
2022/23	FC Cincinnati · 5th	24	0	1	6.58	39	8

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 3 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral defender

J. Nelson is a 28-year-old central defender at Los Angeles Galaxy, rated 28.6 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 321st of 481 on scout potential in the Major League Soccer. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (57% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.29 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Nelson.

Judged on this season alone, Nelson graded 11 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 94th of 120 of the 120 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer, on 2 clean sheets and 2.294 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 13 → 11). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 29, 78th of 120 of the 120 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. At 28 Nelson is in his prime years, and a market index of 3.2 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 levelBreakout: 2023/24Remarkably consistent4 clubs

Current potential78th of 120 centre-backs · Major League Soccer Current season94th of 120 centre-backs · Major League Soccer 94th-best centre-back in the Major League Soccer 321st in the Major League Soccer · potential 78th-highest potential centre-back in the Major League Soccer

28.6

Ratingi

78th of 120 centre-backs

10.5

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

57%

Minutes

rotation minutes

2.29

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Los Angeles Galaxy finished 13th of 15 · a relegation-threatened side

Apps

2.29

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.29 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 2 clean sheets across 23 appearances. Doing that for a relegation-threatened side (13th of 15) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight.

Watch points

Game time. Only 57% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 28.6, Nelson carries the 78th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Major League Soccer of 120, and he is posting that for a relegation-threatened side (Los Angeles Galaxy finished 13th of 15) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.29 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

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

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %57%

Available fixtures26 of 26

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 902.294

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %50

Pass accuracy %82

Dribble success %63.6

Cards / 900.067

Foul involvement / 900.742

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 (~5), then tapers with age. At 28, Nelson sits on 3.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Nelson's projected Rating — 28.6 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

Goals0

Shots on target2

Shots4

Passing

Assists0

Chances created2

Passes601

Pass accuracy82%

Possession

Successful dribbles7

Dribble success63.6%

Duels won45

Duels won %54.9%

Fouls won7

Defending

Tackles21

Interceptions11

Blocks2

Fouls committed4

Penalties conceded1

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1

Red cards0

Transfer history

St. Louis CityJan 2023 – now

FC CincinnatiJan 2022 – Jan 2023

FC Dallas(back from loan)Jan 2020 – Jan 2022

NNorth Texas(on loan)Apr 2019 – Jan 2020

FC Dallasuntil Apr 2019

About J. Nelson

John Vincent Nelson is a 28-year-old centre-back who plays for Los Angeles Galaxy, born on July 11, 1998 in Medina, standing 175 cm tall. He is from USA. Los Angeles Galaxy currently sit 10th of 15 in the Major League Soccer.

This season

In the current season, J. Nelson has made 23 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 1,334 minutes, averaging a 6.34 match rating over his last 9 rated games, with 1 yellow card. His season has spanned the Major League Soccer and the CONCACAF Champions League. Though primarily a centre-back, he has also lined up in midfield this season.

When J. Nelson plays, Los Angeles Galaxy's record this season is 5W-7D-10L — and his match ratings average 6.54 at home against 6.29 on the road.

Recent matches

September 13, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Seattle Sounders (90 minutes, 6.78 rating)
September 10, 2026: 0-3 loss away at Vancouver Whitecaps (21 minutes, 5.7 rating)
August 30, 2026: 1-3 loss away at San Diego (28 minutes, 6.9 rating)
August 20, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs San Jose Earthquakes (5 minutes)
August 16, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Houston Dynamo (90 minutes, 5.9 rating)
August 2, 2026: 0-0 draw at home vs FC Dallas (90 minutes, 7.2 rating)
July 26, 2026: 1-1 draw away at San Jose Earthquakes (30 minutes, 6.3 rating)
July 23, 2026: 1-3 loss at home vs St. Louis City (64 minutes, 6.5 rating)
July 18, 2026: 0-3 loss at home vs Los Angeles FC (65 minutes, 5.6 rating)
May 24, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Houston Dynamo (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)

J. Nelson's next match is on September 20, 2026, when Los Angeles Galaxy face Minnesota United FC away in the Major League Soccer.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Nelson at 28.6 with a Season form score of 10.5, ranking 321st of 481 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 6 career titles — among them the MLS and the Mobile Mini Sun Cup. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 9 recorded seasons, J. Nelson has totalled 170 club appearances with 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 31 appearances for Los Angeles Galaxy.

J. Nelson's career has also included time at St. Louis City, FC Cincinnati, FC Dallas and NNorth Texas.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Los Angeles Galaxy finished 13th of 15 · a relegation-threatened side

Watch points