 Hoilett playing forCanada at the2022 FIFA World Cup | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Wayne Hoilett[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1990-06-05)5 June 1990 (age 35)[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Brampton,Ontario, Canada | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left winger | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Hibernian | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 23 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Brampton YSC | |||||||||||||||||
| CS Azzurri | |||||||||||||||||
| Oakville SC | |||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | Blackburn Rovers | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2007–2012 | Blackburn Rovers | 81 | (12) | ||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | →SC Paderborn (loan) | 12 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | →FC St. Pauli (loan) | 21 | (6) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012–2016 | Queens Park Rangers | 112 | (12) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2021 | Cardiff City | 173 | (23) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Reading | 61 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Aberdeen | 13 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Hibernian | 37 | (6) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2015– | Canada | 68 | (17) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of November 8, 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of November 13, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
David Wayne Hoilett (born 5 June 1990), known asJunior Hoilett, is a Canadian professionalsoccer player who plays as aleft winger forScottish Premiership clubHibernian and theCanada national team.
After impressing in a youth tournament, Hoilett signed for English clubBlackburn Rovers at the age of 13, and was loaned toSC Paderborn andFC St. Pauli in the German2. Bundesliga due to work permit issues. He made his Rovers debut in 2009 and played three fullPremier League seasons for them before a transfer toQueens Park Rangers in 2012. Hoilett spent four years at theLoftus Road club – alternately in the Premier League andChampionship – before moving to Cardiff on the expiration of his contract. In his second season with Cardiff, he helped the side win promotion to the Premier League by finishing as Championship runners-up during the2017–18 season. He has also played forScottish Premiership sideAberdeen.
Hoilett made his senior international debut forCanada in 2015. He was part of their squad at theCONCACAF Gold Cup in2017,2019,2021 and2023, reaching the semi-finals of the 2021 tournament. He was also named to their2022 FIFA World Cup squad, appearing in all three of Canada's games at the tournament.[4]
Hoilett was born inBrampton,Ontario, one of four children to David and Ingrid Hoilett. Both of his parents are of Jamaican descent,[5] with his father hailing fromOcho Rios.[6] His father previously worked as a DJ and music promoter.[7] He has described his upbringing as "a very sporty childhood", playing against his three siblings in numerous sports. Hoilett played both baseball and basketball at youth level before settling on association football at age 11.[5] His younger brother Jaineil also became a footballer, playing in Germany at amateur level.[8] He played youth soccer in Canada with Brampton Youth SC, CS Azzurri, andOakville SC.[9][10] He travelled the world with his club and gained attention at a tournament in Wales; he turned down an extended trial withManchester United to joinBlackburn Rovers as he believed he had more chance of breaking into the first team at the latter.[5] After taking a year to make the decision to move to England, Hoilett signed for Rovers in 2003. After moving to England, he attendedSt Bede's Roman Catholic High School inBlackburn.[5][11]
Hoilett progressed through Blackburn's youth system before signing his first contract at the age of 16. However, he suffered a setback when he was initially unable to earn a work permit to play in the United Kingdom. In order to qualify for one in future, Blackburn looked to loan Hoilett to a club in another European country, with the player rejecting possible moves to Belgium and France.[5]
Hoilett eventually agreed to a loan move to Germany, joiningSC Paderborn. He made his senior debut for the club againstKickers Offenbach, coming on as asubstitute forSven Lintjens in a 3–2 victory on 3 February 2008, aged 17.[12] Hoilett's first match in the starting eleven was against1899 Hoffenheim on 9 March 2008.[13]
Hoilett scored his only goal of his loan campaign on 18 May 2008, againstBorussia Mönchengladbach[14] in what would be his final game for the club. Paderborn were later relegated, ending the2007–08 2. Bundesliga season in 17th position.[15]
Hoilett was loaned to another German club in the2. Bundesliga,FC St. Pauli, for the2008–09 2. Bundesliga season.[16] He made his debut for theHamburg-based side againstGreuther Fürth on 22 August 2008.[17] He scored six times during his loan campaign with braces againstAlemannia Aachen andHansa Rostock, as well as individual goals against1860 Munich and1. FC Kaiserslautern.[18] His final game would come in the form of a 1–0 loss againstRot Weiss Ahlen on 3 May 2009.[19] St. Pauli finished the season in eighth place.[20]
In January 2009, Hoilett's home club Blackburn again applied for him to receive awork permit for him to play football in England.[21] In the summer of 2009, Hoilett was granted a work permit on appeal, allowing him to continue his fledgling career in England at thePremier League level with Blackburn.[22] Blackburn chose not to send him to a third loan spell in Germany, rejecting an approach fromMainz 05.[23]
After impressing during the club's pre-season schedule, Hoilett made his debut for Blackburn in the opening day of the2009–10 season as a late substitute in place ofEl Hadji Diouf during a 2–0 defeat toManchester City.[24] He was named in the starting line-up for the team's following match and scored his first competitive goal for Rovers in a 3–1League Cup win overGillingham on 25 August 2009.[25] His performances in the early stages of the campaign prompted the club to open talks over a contract extension as Hoilett was in the final year of his original deal.[26] Hoilett was involved in Blackburn's dramatic League Cup win againstChelsea on 2 December 2009. Coming on as a second half substitution, he won a stoppage time penalty whichBenni McCarthy converted to put Rovers 3–2 up, beforePaulo Ferreira equalised in the 122nd minute. However, Hoilett converted the fifth penalty to help Rovers to a 4–3 shoot-out win and a place in the semi-finals.[27] He then started his first league match on 12 December againstHull City, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 draw at theKC Stadium.[28] On 25 February 2010, with his contract due to expire in June 2010, Hoilett ended speculation regarding his future at the club, by signing a new two-and-a-half-year deal with Blackburn, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2012.[29] He finished the season having made 27 appearances in all competitions, scoring once.[30]
Hoilett made his first Premier League appearance of the2010–11 season on 21 August 2010, coming on forNikola Kalinić in the 84th minute in a 2–1 defeat atSt Andrew's againstBirmingham City.[31] Hoilett scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season in the 1–0 victory overQueens Park Rangers in theFA Cup third round.[32]
Hoilett scored his first league goal on 23 January 2011, in a 2–0 home victory againstWest Bromwich Albion atEwood Park, converting in the 47th minute from a Nikola Kalinić assist. On 12 February 2011, he made his fortieth Premier League appearance for Blackburn when he featured againstNewcastle United in a goalless draw, and was replaced at half-time due to a slight hamstring strain byMorten Gamst Pedersen. On 5 March, he scored his third goal of the season in a 3–2 defeat againstFulham in the 65th minute, away atCraven Cottage. He was replaced by debutantRubén Rochina after 82 minutes. Hoilett's next goal came in the following game, a last gasp equaliser from a header againstBlackpool in a 2–2 home draw. On 9 April 2011, Hoilett scored in the 1–1 draw against Birmingham City before half time, but was injured in the 68th minute, being replaced by AustralianBrett Emerton.
Hoilett scored his fifth league goal of the campaign with an individual effort, coming in a 3–2 win againstWolverhampton Wanderers atMolineux Stadium on the last day of the season. On 11 September 2011, in a game between Blackburn andFulham, he was involved in a collision withMark Schwarzer which resulted in a head injury for Hoilett. He was eventually stretchered off and Schwarzer received a yellow card.Hoilett scored Blackburn's controversial second goal in their 3–3 draw withWigan Athletic, after teammate Morten Gamst Pedersen seemed to dribble the ball straight from a corner before firing in a low cross for Hoilett to head home from two yards.[33]
In January 2012, Hoilett was named one of the thirteen players to watch in 2012 by world football governing bodyFIFA.[34]
In the2011–12 season, Hoilett had the most dribbles per game among all Premier League players.[35]
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After refusing a contract renewal with Blackburn Rovers, Hoilett joined Queens Park Rangers on 27 July 2012, for a fee decided by tribunal. He signed a four-year contract.[36][37] He scored his first goal for QPR in a 2–3League Cup defeat toReading on 26 September 2012.[38] On 2 March 2013, Hoilett set-up teammateLoïc Rémy and played a crucial part in a 2–1 win overSouthampton.[39] A combination of injuries and poor form meant that Hoilett had a frustrating first season at QPR, which resulted in relegation to theChampionship.[40]
Hoilett scored his first goal of the2013–14 Championship season in a 1–1 draw withHuddersfield Town.[41] Four months later, he scored his second goal of the season in a comfortable 3–0 win overAFC Bournemouth atLoftus Road.[42] In QPR's 1–0 victory overDerby County atWembley Stadium in theChampionship play-off final, Hoilett grabbed an assist for the only goal of the game, when he crossed forBobby Zamora to score in the 89th minute, as QPR gained promotion back to the Premier League after an absence of one season.[43] After failing to agree a new contract with QPR at the end of the 2015–16 season, Hoilett left the club following the expiry of his current deal.[44]
Following the appointment ofNeil Warnock as manager, Hoilett signed withCardiff City on 6 October 2016, becoming Warnock's first signing at the club.[44] His debut came on 14 October, against severnside rivalsBristol City.[45] Hoilett scored his first goal for Cardiff during a 3–2 victory over Huddersfield Town on 19 November 2016.[46] He went on to score one more goal before signing a one-year contract extension in May 2017.[47]
The2017–18 season saw Hoilett's most productive campaign, finishing the season with twelve goals, including scoring against former club Queens Park Rangers, and notching a brace againstMansfield Town in theFA Cup, as Cardiff finished second, gaining promotion to the Premier League.[48] Hoilett was offered a new contract following the club promotion.[49]
On 26 June 2018, Hoilett signed a three-year contract in the Welsh capital.[50] He scored his first Premier League goal since 2012 in a 2–1 comeback win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 30 November, which BBC Sport called a "fabulous first-time effort from 25 yards".[51]
On 9 May 2021, Hoilett announced his departure from Cardiff City at the end of his contract via Instagram.[52] He had spent five years with the club, amassing 184 appearances across all competitions.[citation needed] His last appearance for the club came on 27 January againstBarnsley in the first game in charge for new managerMick McCarthy, but he did not feature at all the rest of the season.[53]
On 19 August 2021, Hoilett signed forReading on a one-year contract.[54] His first goal for the club came at theCardiff City Stadium on 2 October, the only goal in a win over his former club.[53]
In July 2022 Hoilett re-signed with Reading on another one-year deal.[55] During the2022–23 season Hoilett began featuring at wing-back for the club, earning praise for his performances by coachPaul Ince, heralding him as "unplayable."[56] He departed the club after their relegation at the end of the season, despite being offered a new contract.[57]
On 14 September 2023,Major League Soccer clubVancouver Whitecaps FC announced they had reached a deal with Hoilett to join the club for the remainder of the2023 MLS season.[58] He made his debut on September 20, entering the match as a second-half substitute forRyan Raposo in an eventual 4–1 defeat to theHouston Dynamo.[59] At the end of the 2023 season, it was announced that the club would not renew his contract.[60]
On 16 February 2024, Junior signed forScottish Premiership clubAberdeen on a short term deal until the end of the2023–24 season, reuniting with manager Neil Warnock.[61] He made his debut the next day againstHibernian, entering the match as a substitute in a 2–2 draw and becoming the first Canadian player to ever play for the club.[62] On 30 July, after being offered a new deal he left the club saying that his "time at Aberdeen has come to [an] end, I would like to thank the club for the opportunity and the fans for making my short spell memorable".[63]
On 6 August 2024, Hoilett joinedHibernian on a one-year deal.[64] He scored four goals and assisted five others in 30 appearances during the 2024–25 season, as Hibs finished third in theScottish Premiership.[65] On 1 July 2025, Hoilett signed a new one-year contract with Hibs.[65][66]
As a child, Hoilett captained Canada's team at the 2001Danone Nations Cup inParis.[67]
Hoilett was eligible to play for eitherCanada orJamaica at international level.[34] In February 2011, he rejected a call-up from the Canada national team, stating that he wanted more time to develop his club career before committing to international football.[68] In January 2012,Jamaica Football Federation presidentHorace Burrell confirmed that he had approached the player's father about Hoilett representing Jamaica, with his father keen for him to represent the Caribbean nation.[6] In March 2012, Hoilett told various media bodies that he would consider playing forEngland if eligible.[69][70]
Hoilett officially declared for Canada in September 2015, prior to thefourth round of CONCACAF 2018 World Cup Qualifying.[71] He received his first international cap in a 1–1 draw againstGhana on 13 October 2015, atRFK Stadium inWashington, D.C.[72] He officially got cap-tied to Canada after starting for the nation in a 2018 World Cup qualification match againstHonduras. Hoilett was named to Canada's squad for the2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup on 27 June 2017,[73] and scored his first international goal in the quarter-finals on 20 July, in a 1–2 defeat to eventual finalists Jamaica.[74]
Hoilett was named to the final 23-man squad for the2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup on 20 May 2019.[75] He scored in victories overMartinique andCuba – each breaking the record for the country's biggest win in the competition – as the Canadians advanced to the quarter-finals.[76][77] Hoilett was named Canada's captain for the first time in aCONCACAF Nations League match against Cuba on 7 September 2019; he scored three goals in a 6–0 victory. In doing so, Hoilett became the third Canadian player in 2019 to net ahat-trick against Cuba, followingJonathan David andLucas Cavallini.[78]
Hoilett was called-up to Canada's squad for the2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup on 1 July.[79] He scored in a 4–1 group win overHaiti and a 2–0 quarter-final win overCosta Rica as the team reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2007.[80][81]
Hoilett scored the third goal on 27 March 2022 as Canada defeated Jamaica 4–0 in2022 FIFA World Cupqualification, thereby making the World Cup for the first time since1986.[82] In November 2022, Hoilett was named to Canada’s 26-man squad for the2022 FIFA World Cup.[83] He appeared in all three matches for Canada, as the squad exited after the group stage.[84]
In June 2023, Hoilett was named to Canada's squad contesting the2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.[85] On June 19, he was named to the2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.[86]
In June 2024, Hoilett was initially named to Canada's squad for the2024 Copa América,[87] but was forced to withdraw following a lower-body injury in training camp and was replaced byJoel Waterman.[88]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2007–08[90] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008–09[91] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10[92] | Premier League | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 27 | 1 | ||
| 2010–11[93] | Premier League | 24 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 6 | ||
| 2011–12[94] | Premier League | 34 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 37 | 7 | ||
| Total | 81 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 | — | 92 | 14 | |||
| SC Paderborn (loan) | 2007–08[95] | 2. Bundesliga | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| St. Pauli (loan) | 2007–08[95] | 2. Bundesliga | 26 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 6 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2012–13[96] | Premier League | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 28 | 2 | |
| 2013–14[97] | Championship | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 39 | 4 | |
| 2014–15[98] | Premier League | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16[99] | Championship | 29 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 31 | 6 | ||
| Total | 112 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 122 | 12 | ||
| Cardiff City | 2016–17[100] | Championship | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 33 | 2 | |
| 2017–18[101] | Championship | 46 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 50 | 11 | ||
| 2018–19[102] | Premier League | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 33 | 3 | ||
| 2019–20[103] | Championship | 41 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 45 | 7 | |
| 2020–21[104] | Championship | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 2 | |
| Total | 173 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 184 | 25 | ||
| Reading | 2021–22[105] | Championship | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 27 | 3 | |
| 2022–23[106] | Championship | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| Total | 61 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 62 | 4 | |||
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 2023[107] | MLS | 7 | 2 | — | — | 2[d] | 0 | 9 | 2 | ||
| Aberdeen | 2023–24[108] | Scottish Premiership | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 2 | ||
| Hibernian | 2024–25[109] | Scottish Premiership | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 4 | |
| 2025–26[110] | Scottish Premiership | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6[e] | 0 | 17 | 2 | |
| Total | 37 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 523 | 67 | 15 | 3 | 20 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 571 | 71 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2015 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 6 | |
| 2021 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 69 | 17 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 July 2017 | State Farm Stadium,Glendale, United States | 16 |  Jamaica | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup | [112] |
| 2 | 9 September 2018 | IMG Academy,Bradenton, United States | 18 |  U.S. Virgin Islands | 6–0 | 8–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying | [113] |
| 3 | 16 October 2018 | BMO Field,Toronto, Canada | 19 |  Dominica | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying | [114] |
| 4 | 24 March 2019 | BC Place,Vancouver, Canada | 21 |  French Guiana | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying | [115] |
| 5 | 15 June 2019 | Broncos Stadium,Denver, United States | 23 |  Martinique | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup | [116] |
| 6 | 23 June 2019 | Bank of America Stadium,Charlotte, United States | 24 |  Cuba | 5–0 | 7–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup | [117] |
| 7 | 7 September 2019 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 26 | Cuba | 1–0 | 6–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A | [118] |
| 8 | 3–0 | |||||||
| 9 | 6–0 | |||||||
| 10 | 5 June 2021 | IMG Academy, Bradenton, United States | 31 |  Aruba | 2–0 | 7–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification | [119] |
| 11 | 15 June 2021 | SeatGeek Stadium,Bridgeview, United States | 32 |  Haiti | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification | [120] |
| 12 | 15 July 2021 | Children's Mercy Park,Kansas City, United States | 34 | Haiti | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup | [121] |
| 13 | 25 July 2021 | AT&T Stadium,Arlington, United States | 36 |  Costa Rica | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup | [122] |
| 14 | 27 March 2022 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 45 | Jamaica | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification | [123] |
| 15 | 4 July 2023 | Shell Energy Stadium,Houston, United States | 59 | Cuba | 1–0 | 4–2 | 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup | [124] |
| 16 | 13 October 2023 | Denka Big Swan Stadium,Niigata, Japan | 61 |  Japan | 1–4 | 1–4 | Friendly | [125] |
| 17 | 15 November 2024 | Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion,Paramaribo, Suriname | 65 |  Suriname | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A | [126] |
Queens Park Rangers
Cardiff City
Canada
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