Cameron Carter-Vickers

Cameron Robert Carter-Vickers (born 31 December 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Luton Town, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, and the United States national team.

Carter-Vickers began his career at the Tottenham Hotspur Academy. He made his debut in the 2016–17 season, playing in cup competitions. He has spent time out on loan at Championship clubs Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Swansea City and Stoke City.

Although born in England, he represents the United States at international level.

Club career

Tottenham Hotspur

Carter-Vickers joined the academy system at Tottenham Hotspur at the age of eleven having caught the eyes of scouts as a ten-year-old playing in the youth teams at Catholic United.

He was fast tracked through the academy and under manager Mauricio Pochettino, he made his first match-day squad against Ligue 1 team AS Monaco in the UEFA Europa League on 10 December 2015. Carter-Vickers featured in the 2016 International Champions Cup held in Melbourne and made two starts against Juventus and Atlético Madrid and was given the jersey number 38 for the 2016–17 season. On 21 September 2016, he made his first team debut for the club in the third round of the EFL Cup against Gillingham in which Spurs won 5–0. He also featured in the next round away at Liverpool which Spurs lost 2–1. He played to two FA Cup matches in January 2017 firstly against Aston Villa then Wycombe Wanderers.

Loans

The defender signed a season-long loan deal with newly promoted Championship side Sheffield United on 25 August 2017. On his debut and his first career league game, Carter-Vickers scored the only goal of the game, a 33rd-minute winner against Bolton Wanderers. After playing 18 games for Sheffield United and scoring one goal, Carter-Vickers returned to Tottenham on 15 January 2018 having been recalled ending his loan spell.

On 19 January 2018, Ipswich Town signed Carter-Vickers on loan until the end of the season. He made his Ipswich Town debut away to Bolton Wanderers on 20 January 2018. Carter-Vickers played 17 times for the Tractor Boys as they finished in a mid-table position of 12th.

On 25 August 2018, Swansea City signed Carter-Vickers on loan until the end of the season. At Swansea he formed a partnership alongside Mike van der Hoorn at centre back after the injury to first choice Joe Rodon. In total, he made 33 appearances in all competitions for Swansea, impressing partially due to his passing ability from the centre back position.

On 8 August 2019, Carter-Vickers joined Stoke City on loan for the 2019–20 season. He made 15 appearances before he was recalled by Spurs on 2 January 2020, and then signed on a six-month loan for Luton Town four weeks later. Due to the season being extended by the Covid-19 outbreak Carter-Vickers loan to Luton was extended till the end of the campaign.

International career

United States youth teams

In the summer of 2014 Carter-Vickers was playing for Tottenham's academy side at the IMG Cup in Bradenton, Florida where they beat the U.S. U17 team 5–3. During the game, he caught the eye of American coaches who had learned of his possible eligibility for a U.S. passport.

Carter-Vickers represented the United States for the first time at U18 level in August 2014 and by October 2014 was a member of the U.S. U23 team. He represented the United States U-20 National Team at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and started several games despite being only 17 at the time. The team were knocked out by Serbia in the quarter finals.

In September 2016, it was reported that the English FA had made inquiries about Carter-Vickers and that the USMNT were prepared to fast track the player into their senior set up. On 10 October 2016, Carter-Vickers captained U.S. U20 in a 2–0 loss against his native England.

United States national team

On 6 November 2016, Carter-Vickers received his first call up to the senior U.S. squad. He made his senior debut appearance on 14 November 2017 in a friendly as a half-time substitute in a 1–1 draw away to Portugal.

Style of play

Carter-Vickers is known as a ball playing centre-back with accurate passing ability.

Personal life

Carter-Vickers' father is Howard Carter, an American basketball player who spent his professional career in the NBA and Europe, and became a French citizen. His English mother, Geraldine Vickers from Essex, met Carter while both were working in Greece. He was raised in Essex and attended The Eastwood Academy in Leigh-on-Sea, while spending summers with his father in Louisiana.

Honors

United States U20

• CONCACAF U-20 Championship: third place 2015

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 November 2019

International

As of match played 5 June 2019