Jayden Da

Jayden Da (born April 8, 2002) is an American soccer player who plays for Columbus Crew 2 in MLS Next Pro.

Early life
Da was born in Boston and also lived in West Africa for eight years during his youth, before returning to the United States. He played youth soccer with the Olney Boys & Girls Club.

College career
In 2020, Da began attending Washington & Jefferson College, where he played for the men's soccer team in NCAA Division III (the season was delayed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). On March 21, 2021, he scored his first collegiate goals, netting a brace in a 4–0 victory over the Saint Vincent Bearcats. In April 2021, he was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week. On April 13, he scored the overtime winner in double overtime against the Geneva Golden Tornadoes. At the end of the season, he was named the PAC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, and was named to the All-PAC First Team and the PAC All-Tournament Team. During his sole season, he helped W&J win the 2020 PAC Championship, and led the PAC in points (17) and assists (5), while finishing tied for second in goals (6).

In the fall of 2021, Da transferred to Duquesne University to play for the men's soccer team in NCAA Division I. He made his debut on August 26, 2021, against the Pittsburgh Panthers. He made his first start and scored his first goal on November 14, 2021, against the Saint Louis Billikens. On September 9, 2023, he scored a brace against the Niagara Purple Eagles in a 2–1 victory. At the end of the 2023 season, he was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Second Team and the All-Southeast Region Third Team. Over his three seasons with Duquesne, he appeared in 46 games, scoring eight goals and adding four assists.

Club career
In 2022, he played with the Patuxent Football Athletics in USL League Two.

At the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Da was selected in the first round (29th overall) by the Columbus Crew. In February 2024, he signed a contract with the second team, Columbus Crew 2, in MLS Next Pro.