Standing at 5 feet, 7 inches, Villanova men’s soccer senior midfielder Jordan Canica is often one of the smaller players on the field. After missing all of the 2023 season, he has returned as one of the team’s most important leaders. 

Canica has made eight starts across the ‘Cats’ first 10 games, and has scored three goals. 

“Just as with being taller there’s an advantage, sometimes being shorter has an advantage,” Canica said. “You’re quicker, so I use it to my advantage…I’m not going to be winning a header against a 6-foot-4 center back, so, trying to read where the second ball is gonna land is a big part of my game.”

Growing up in a Portuguese family, Canica spent his childhood watching European games on television and playing on the local fields of Somerset County.

“It’s always been soccer,” Canica, a native of Hillsborough, NJ, said. “I have two older brothers who pushed me along the way. They always played soccer and they always trained me, so I credit my brothers for pushing me when I was younger.” 

The training from his older brothers helped Canica to develop the skills that he needed to play at the collegiate level.

Despite his Portuguese heritage, Canica does not model his game after the likes of Portuguese soccer legends Cristano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes or João Félix. Instead, Canica tries to emulate 5-foot-9 Belgian forward Eden Hazard.

“When [Hazard] was at Chelsea, I really liked the way he played,” Canica said. “Right footed, kind of a stocky build like me… short to the ground and low to the ground.”

Modeling his game after Hazard, who scored 85 goals over seven seasons at English Premier League-side Chelsea in the 2010s, helped Canica climb the ranks of New Jersey and excel at Gill St. Bernard’s School. Canica’s work ethic, his right foot and his agility on the field are what earned him a spot at Villanova. 

After committing to Villanova in the spring of 2020, Canica arrived on campus in the fall of 2021. He played sparingly in his freshman and sophomore seasons, totaling 162 minutes across 13 matches. He also missed the entirety of the ‘Cats’ 2023 campaign.

However, it was not until the summer of 2024 that his role on the team expanded.

In the current landscape of college athletics, most players not getting significant playing time would enter the transfer portal, but, even when it was difficult, Canica never thought of leaving. 

“Not playing frustrated me,” Canica said. “As a player you always wanna leave your mark, so I didn’t want to leave and not make an impact. I wanted to stay and do what I could to help the program and stay committed to my four years here.”

When former Villanova head coach Tom Carlin retired after the 2023 season, former Wildcats assistant, Mark Fetrow, was named as the new Villanova head coach. 

With the hiring of a new coach, it meant a new opportunity for players to audition for a coveted spot in the starting 11. 

Canica capitalized on this opportunity. By August it was clear his work had caught the attention of Fetrow and his staff.

Despite seeing limited playing time for much of his career, Canica’s mentality and encouragement have always made him popular among his teammates. 

Canica was part of the Wildcats’ 2021 recruiting class, which included senior forward Balthi Saunders, senior forward Vincent Petrera, and senior defenders Tommy Johnson, O’Neil Dawes and Kyle Dixon. 

Canica and Saunders have been roommates for all of their time at Villanova.

“He cares a lot about his teammates, and he’s also a super passionate guy,” Saunders said. “He always cares about the team and is always willing to put in the work. Those traits in general just make him a really good team guy but also a really good player.”   

While the two have always enjoyed taking the field together, it is the off the field moments that have created a friendship that will last beyond Villanova. 

“We like to play video games, which we do a lot,” Saunders said. “We also like to take walks and we both enjoy food, so sometimes we’ll go get dinner or we’ll go on walks. He’s a really down-to-earth guy so we do a lot of wholesome stuff.” 

For Saunders, seeing his roommate finally have a breakthrough year has been no surprise. 

“I think he always contributed a lot [to the team],” Saunders said. “This year, now that he’s gotten an opportunity to really get more minutes, he’s helped us a lot. He’s very good on the ball, and he can score goals so just having him on the field adds a lot to the team in the attack.” 

On the field, Canica understands the goal is to win games and leave his mark on the program. Off the pitch, he understands that the work in the classroom is also important.

When asked about how his classes and how being a part of this program has helped him grow, Canica gave credit to his coach, but also the school as a whole for giving athletes the resources to succeed beyond their playing days. 

“I think everyone’s goal in college is to come out and be a better person than when they first came in,” Canica said. “Coach Fetrow does a good job of developing me as a person on and off the field, same as Villanova in general. As far as life after college, Villanova’s a great place to prepare you for life after college and it’s why I plan on being here for a fifth year.”

In October, Canica and the Wildcats have a big stretch of games. Six of their seven remaining regular season games will be played this month so the importance of staying locked-in is bigger than ever. 

“As far as my goals for the rest of the year, obviously the team is struggling right now but we’re looking to bounce back,” Canica said. “We just have to play the next game and go from there.” 

In the months and year ahead, Canica will look to get even better. This year has been his breakout season, and with the departures of graduate midfielders Jorge Garcia and Jason Bourgey after this season, much more will be expected of Canica in his fifth year. 

Although the past three seasons saw a limited role, Canica has always had a presence in the locker room and now that this presence extends to the pitch he is an integral part of Fetrow’s plans going forward. 

“What [Canica] gives us every time from a game perspective is he lays it all out on the line,” Fetrow said. “He really tries to lead the group with excitement and emotion and energy. He’s come a long way… He’s been here three seasons and hasn’t really seen much of the field, but now he’s a consistent starter and one of our leading points guys so we’re really happy for him. But we know he’s a guy who can do more, and we know we can get more out of him.”