Jared Michael Jeffrey (born June 14, 1990) is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Mainz 05 II. Beginnings and youth Career As a youth, Jeffrey started playing soccer in kindergarten with a youth soccer team known as the Cheetahs. Jeffrey played with the Richardson Soccer Association team until he began select play with the Dallas Texans. Jeffrey's early team was composed of classmates from St. Paul the Apostle School in Richardson, Texas and was coached by Greg Elias, head coach and Bobby Moorehead, assistant coach. Both coaches along with Jeffrey's parents, Jim and Betty, helped foster Jared's early love of the game. Jeffrey continued his career in the United States at the Dallas Texans and was part of IMG Academy. In May 2008, Parade magazine selected Jeffrey as its boys soccer national high school player of the year. Club career Club Brugge While captaining the USA U-17 in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he was spotted by Belgian power house, Club Brugge, and signed for the club upon turning 18 in 2008. He would never play an official match for the senior team and so during the 2009-10 winter transfer window, he transferred to Mainz in order to seek more opportunities of playing first team football. Mainz 05 Prior to making the move to Mainz, he consulted former team mate at IMG Academy and former Mainz player, . On January 4, 2010, he would sign a 3 year contract with Mainz. International career Jarred Jeffrey has been selected and appeared on all youth international levels for the USA up to this point in his career. In 2007 he captained and played for the U-17 in CONCACAF qualifying and in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he played in 4 matches and scored once, via penalty. In 2009 he participated in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, appearing in all three games.
|