Scott Fitzgerald Kennedy (born March 31, 1997) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for Challenger Pro League side Eupen and the Canada national team.
Kennedy moved to Germany as an 18-year-old, signing with SBC Traunstein in 2015, and later with FC Amberg in 2016. Kennedy would move to Austria in June 2017, joining Austrian Regionalliga West club SV Grödig. In July 2018, he signed with Austria Klagenfurt.
In August 2020, Kennedy joined then 2. Bundesliga side Jahn Regensburg on a three-year contract. He made his debut on October 31 against SC Paderborn. Kennedy's performances in his first season impressed, particularly in the 2020âÂÂ21 DFB-Pokal, during which Regensburg knocked out Bundesliga side 1. FC Köln to advance to the quarter-finals.
Kennedy's third season was marked by club struggles and injury, including a shoulder injury that forced him out of Canada's team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. At the end of the season Jahn Regensburg was relegated to the 3. Liga, and Kennedy departed the club upon the expiration of his contract.
In July 2023, Austrian Bundesliga side Wolfsberger AC announced they had signed Kennedy to a two-year contract with an option for a third. He made his debut for his new club on July 29, playing the entire match in a 2-1 victory over Blau-WeiÃÂ Linz. Kennedy scored his first goal on November 26, netting the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Austria Wien.
In September 2024, Challenger Pro League side Eupen announced they had signed Kennedy on a two-year deal until June 2026. He made his first appearance for Eupen on September 15 against Zulte Waregem.
While with Regensburg, Kennedy began to get interest in representing Canada internationally. On 26 May 2021, Jahn Regensburg confirmed Kennedy had been called up to Canada for their upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. He made his debut for Canada on 8 June in the match against Suriname, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4âÂÂ0 victory. On 1 July, he was named to the final squad of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but was replaced 9 days later by Frank Sturing for medical reasons.
In late October 2022, Kennedy suffered a shoulder injury in a league match that his coach Mersad Selimbegovic confirmed would sideline him for "a few months," ruling him out of consideration for the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.
In June 2023, Kennedy was called-up to the final 23-man squad contesting the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals. On 19 June, he was called-up to the final squad for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. On 9 July, during Canada's Quarter-final match against the United States, Kennedy would score an own-goal leading to a 2-2 draw. Canada would then lose 2âÂÂ3 during the subsequent penalty shootout, eliminating them from the tournament.
Kennedy is of German descent through his mother, and holds dual Canadian-German citizenship.