Jason Andrew Bent (born August 3, 1977 in Scarborough, Ontario) is a former Canadian international soccer player. He currently works as Head Coach for TFC Academy U-18 and Assistant Coach for TFC Academy.

[edit] Club career

After playing college soccer for the University of Maryland, Bent started his pro career with the Colorado Rapids in the MLS. During his time with the Rapids he helped the team reach the finals for the first time, and in 1999 he again helped the Rapids reach the finals in the US Open Cup.

Bent was really close to signing a long term contract with FC Copenhagen in 2001. But later in the year Bent signed with Plymouth Argyle helping the team win the English Third Division Championship in 2002, and the English Second Division Championship in 2004.

[edit] International career

Bent played at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Japan, in a team alongside Paul Stalteri and Jeff Clarke. He then also played at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia, again with Stalteri and Bent.^[1]

He made his senior his debut for Canada in an October 1997 World Cup qualification match against Mexico. He earned a total of 32 caps, scoring no goals. He has represented Canada in 8 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and played at the 2001 Confederations Cup.

He was a member of the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup winning squad^[2], but did not play because of injury. In 2002 Bent also scored a decisive penalty kick against Martinique in the 2002 Gold Cup quarter-finals where Canada finished in third place.

His final international was a November 2003 friendly match against Republic of Ireland, in which Bent suffered a serious knee injury. For two full years he spent everyday in physiotherapy but nothing could be done to save his career. Bent announced his official retirement on March 23, 2006 after failing to recover from knee injuries.

[edit] Honours

[edit] Plymouth Argyle

• 2001-02 Division Three Champions
• 2003-04 Division Two Champions

[edit] External links

• Player profile - CanadaSoccer
• Bundesliga statistics
• Jason Bent career stats at Soccerbase
• Career stats - National Football Teams
• MLS stats - MLSnet

[edit] References

v • d • e Canada squad – 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup Winners (1st Title) 1 Forrest • 2 Fenwick • 3 Fletcher • 4 Menezes • 5 de Vos • 6 Aristodemo • 7 Stalteri • 8 Dasovic • 9 Corazzin • 10 Xuasa • 11 Brennan • 12 Clarke • 13 Watson • 14 Bent • 15 Hastings • 16 Kusch • 17 Peschisolido • 18 Thomas • 21 Nash • 22 Onstad • 24 De Rosario • Coach: Osieck

v • d • e Canada squad – 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup 1 Forrest • 2 Clarke • 3 Watson • 4 Menezes • 5 de Vos • 6 Bent • 7 Stalteri • 8 Dasovic • 9 Corazzin • 10 Xausa • 11 Brennan • 12 Onstad • 13 Fletcher • 14 Imhof • 15 Hastings • 16 Kusch • 17 de Rosario • 18 Nsaliwa • 19 Peschisolido • 20 McKenna • 21 Bircham • 22 Franks • Coach: Osieck

v • d • e Canada squad – 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup 1 Onstad • 2 Fenwick • 3 Hastings • 4 Pizzolitto • 5 de Vos • 6 Bent • 7 Stalteri • 8 Imhof • 9 Corazzin • 10 McKenna • 11 Nash • 12 Dasovic • 13 Xausa • 14 Hutchinson • 15 Cañizalez • 16 Kusch • 17 Pozniak • 22 Hirschfeld • Coach: Osieck