Lukas MacNaughton may wear Toronto FC red but the 26-year-old defender truly is a man of the world.
Born in New York City to a Canadian father and Austrian mother, MacNaughton moved to Belgium when he was seven. After attending the University of Toronto to study architecture, his soccer career took off in the Canadian Premier League at Pacific FC. And now MacNaughton is part of a new-look TFC backline.
His travels have left their mark.
The six-foot-one 185-pounder speaks English, French and German, understands Dutch and can "get by" in Spanish. He holds Canadian, American and Belgium citizenship.
MacNaughton joined Toronto in January after three seasons with Pacific FC, winning the CPL title with the Vancouver Island club in December.
Signed through 2023 with options for 2024 and 2025, MacNaughton is part of a retooled Toronto defence that features fellow newcomers Carlos Salcedo and Shane O'Neill at centre back and Kadin Chung at fullback.
New coach Bob Bradley has repositioned returnees Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Jacob Shaffelburg at fullback. Luca Petrasso, who signed as a homegrown player last month, and TFC II's Kobe Franklin have also seen action at fullback during training camp in California and Texas.
Toronto opens the regular season Saturday at FC Dallas.
The turnover at Toronto has been widespread, with some 18 players from last year's first team currently elsewhere.
Omar Gonzalez, Eriq Zavaleta, Richie Laryea and Brazil's Auro have moved on from a backline that conceded a franchise-worst 66 goals during a dismal 6-18-10 season in 2021. Veteran fullback Justin Morrow retired to take up a front-office role while the club is apparently looking to find a new home for Jamaican international Kemar Lawrence.
Young defenders Rocco Romeo and Julian Dunn have also left the club. Toronto has talked about loaning out Luke Singh.
Salcedo, Chris Mavinga, O'Neill and MacNaughton have been the four centre backs at training camp.
"I think all four have had good pre-seasons," said Bradley.
Salcedo, a Mexican international, and Mavinga, entering his sixth season at the club, are expected to be the first-choice centre-back pairing.
Prior to joining the CPL, MacNaughton spent time in League1 Ontario with Alliance United and the North Toronto Nitros.
He played for the University of Toronto from 2013 to 2017, where he was a four-time Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East first-team all-star.
As a Varsity Blue, he played under coach Anthony Capotosto, who had ties to the Toronto FC academy. MacNaughton had a trial with TFC but, after a few months working in architecture, went to the CPL when the Pacific job was offered.
MacNaughton says that experience left him comfortable being around the TFC training ground.
"I had been there so many times and I know almost everybody at the club," he said. "So even though it hasn't been my home, it does feel like home."
After 12 years at the U of T helm, Capotosto left in 2018 to run the TFC academy.
MacNaughton made 59 appearances in all competitions for Pacific FC and says his time in the CPL was well-spent.
"As you know, I didn't take the conventional route to being at TFC. I spent a bunch of time around Toronto and being around the TFC training ground," he said. "But I wasn't at the level to be here. And so the CPL, at the time, was a place that allowed me to grow, it allowed me to have minutes, it allowed me to learn and improve and gain that confidence to play."
Asked about the difference between the CPL and MLS, MacNaughton said there was "undoubtedly a lot more quality" in MLS. But he noted that CPL teams have shown in the Canadian Championship that they can compete.
"It's not like I'm stepping on the moon right now," he said.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2022.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
