Ryan Nelsen

Christchurch United

Nelsen played for Christchurch United from 1995 to 1998. Even after he relocated to the United States, he played his last season with the club when he was home for a semester's sabbatical from his university football scholarship with Greensboro College.

DC United

Nelsen was drafted fourth overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United, with whom he spent four years in Major League Soccer (MLS). After emerging as a starter in 2002, Nelsen was named team captain in 2003, replacing Marco Etcheverry, as well as winning the team's Defender of the Year Award and being named to the league's Best XI. Again, in 2004 after leading United to its fourth MLS Cup, he was named the Best XI. In four years in MLS, Nelsen had seven goals and five assists.

Blackburn Rovers

Shortly after the completion of the 2004 MLS season, Nelsen was linked with a move to Blackburn Rovers after he was scouted by Mark Hughes and went on trial with the club. After impressing Blackburn Rovers at the trial, the club was keen on signing Nelsen. However, Blackburn Rovers' attempt to sign him suffered a setback at first after the initial application had been refused due to New Zealand being ranked outside the top seventy in the FIFA World Rankings. The setback was eventually resolved and he signed for Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer on 6 January 2005. Nelsen made his debut for the club, starting the whole game and kept a clean sheet, in a 1-0 win against…

Nelsen made his New Zealand debut against Poland on 19 June 1999. He was part of the All Whites' winning squad in the 2002 OFC Nations Cup, scoring the only goal of a 1–0 win over rivals Australia in the final. Although he has been selected to play on numerous occasions, Nelsen had not represented New Zealand between his last appearance in 2004 and 2008 due largely to a recurring hamstring injury. Nelsen captained the New Zealand U-23 squad for their first appearance at the Olympic Games against China. Although he was only available for the opening two matches as Blackburn had requested that he return in time to prepare for their opening Premier League game of the 2008–09 season against Everton. Nelsen captained the All Whites side as they qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, beating Bahrain in a two-legged playoff in November 2009. On 10 May 2010, Nelsen was named in New Zealand's final 23-man squad to compete at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. On 15 June, 28 years to the day after New Zealand made their second appearance in a FIFA World Cup Finals, their first since 1982, Nelsen captained New Zealand to their first ever point in a FIFA World Cup Finals match in a 1–1 draw with World Cup debutants Slovakia. On 24 June, Nelsen again skippered the All Whites in a 0–0 draw with Paraguay, but New Zealand were knocked out of the group stages. However, it is surely indisputable that New Zealand's biggest honour was to draw 1–1 with Italy, who were the reigning champions. Nelsen was…

On 8 January 2013 Nelsen accepted an offer to become head coach of Major League Soccer side Toronto FC. He started on 1 February in time for Toronto's pre-season. Nelsen won his first game as a head coach in the home opener against Sporting Kansas City in a 2–1 victory on 9 March, with both goals coming from newly acquired striker Robert Earnshaw. He was sacked, along with his assistants, on 31 August 2014 after winning three out of his last 13 matches.

Growing up in New Zealand, Nelsen played cricket and was "widely regarded as one of the most promising cricketers", but he opted to become a footballer instead. After attending Our Lady of the Assumption primary school and St Thomas of Canterbury College, Nelsen moved to the United States to play for Greensboro College in North Carolina in 1997. After spending two years at Greensboro and leading The Pride to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III championship match, only to lose to Ohio Wesleyan University, he transferred to Stanford University where he played his final two years of college football. He was named Stanford's Most Valuable Player as a junior and an NSCAA All-American as a senior while playing as a defensive midfielder. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science.