By The Canadian Press

After stellar college career, Canadian forward Marcus Caldeira signs with Minnesota

Jan 28, 2026 | 2:34 PM

GOLDEN VALLEY — Canadian forward Marcus Caldeira, who scored 42 goals for West Virginia University during a stellar college career, has signed with Minnesota United.

Minnesota took Caldeira in the first round (20th overall) of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. But the 21-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., opted to return to school, unwilling to forgo his college eligibility unless offered a contract by Minnesota. Caldeira did train with the team briefly the year he was drafted but paid his own way.

Caldeira is now on the Minnesota payroll.

“I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to join this ambitious club and take the next step in fulfilling my lifelong dream of playing professionally,” Caldeira said.

Caldeira’s 42 career goals and 99 career points rank third in Mountaineer history while his 17 game-winning goals set a program record. In all, he made 84 career appearances, including 77 starts.

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: KSACC disappointed at Kamloops MLAs' vote to advance human rights code bill beyond first reading

18h ago

TWO & OUT

PETERS: U.S. Olympic men's hockey team celebration was extremely political - whether players recognize it or not

22h ago

Looped in

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: February 26, 2026

Feb 27, 2026

The six-foot-two 193-pound player left college on a high note, scoring a hat trick in the Mountaineers’ 4-3 win over St. John’s in the first round of the NCAA tournament and adding another goal in West Virginia’s 3-2 loss to High Point in the second round.

The Canadian finished his senior year with 14 goals and seven assists, adding first team all-America honours to the second-team status he achieved in 2023. His 35 points on the season were the most by a Mountaineer since Jack Cardosa’s 59 in 1973.

He was also named the Sun Belt Player and Offensive Player of the Year and named to the All-Southeast Region First Team, and a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist.

“We’re excited to welcome Marcus to our club and look forward to seeing him continue his development while adding depth and competition to our team this season,” Khaled El-Ahmad, Minnesota’s chief soccer officer and sporting director, said in a statement.

Caldeira, who attended Port Credit Secondary School, played for Toronto-area academy Sigma FC until he was 16, when he got a development contract with Forge FC. He made his debut with the Canadian Premier League club at 17 and did his last year of high school online while training with Hamilton-based Forge.

He recorded one assist in four appearances for Forge and played for Sigma’s League1 Ontario team while not at West Virginia.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2026

The Canadian Press