Nick DeLeon is his own man, but he comes from a soccer family.
The Toronto FC utility man has developed a reputation for not only being a good MLS pro, but someone capable of scoring timely goals in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, including the winner to send TFC through to the 2019 MLS Cup Final (Sunday, 3 pm ET | ABC, Univision, TUDN, TVAS, TSN).
While DeLeon, who was well liked in D.C. while playing for United from 2012-18, moved on to Toronto for the 2019 season, he matched career highs for regular-season appearances, goals and assists this season while playing several positions under Greg Vanney.
DeLeon's father is Leroy DeLeon, a Trinidad & Tobago international who enjoyed a long playing career in the NASL in the 1970s. While the pedigree has periodically been mentioned in relation to Nick's own professional career, the duo's relationship has been strained over the years after Nick's parents divorced when he was a teenager.
An MLS Insider profile from 2013 of Nick from his days with D.C. United focused on his complicated relationship to his father and reconciling as an adult, with his father now living in his native Trinidad.
In addition, The Athletic's Joshua Kloke profiled the other half of DeLeon's soccer family lineage earlier this year, focusing on Nick's mom nurturing his burgeoning career and love for the sport. Both profiles are well worth another look before Sunday's title game.
