T
ajon Buchanan was feeling like his true self.
Working down the right side of the pitch, the Villarreal forward received a long pass early in an Aug. 24 match against Girona FC. Buchanan stopped, sized up his defender and made a nifty double move to gain space. He didn’t have a clean angle to shoot, but Buchanan made it work.
He roofed a shot over Girona goalie Vladyslav Krapyvtsov for the goal. After scoring, Buchanan trotted to the left corner of the pitch and planted his hands into the ground, launching himself into a full roundoff-backflip combination.
Former teammates and coaches recognized the flip. He’d been doing it since high school and continued at Syracuse from 2017-18. In what became the biggest moment of his career thus far, he turned to his signature celebration. Buchanan promptly netted two more goals — a simple tap-in and a screamer off Krapyvtsov’s hands — to snag his first professional hat trick.
The performance was extra special because of Buchanan’s recent setbacks. First, he suffered a fractured tibia during Copa America last June. In 2024, after a “dream move” to Inter Milan, he found himself on the bench. After joining Villarreal in February 2025, Buchanan could finally be himself again.
“At that time, I needed minutes, I needed to gain my confidence back. And Villarreal gave me that opportunity,” Buchanan told The Daily Orange.
Buchanan’s professional journey has been a rollercoaster. He excelled at Syracuse, then was drafted ninth overall in the 2019 MLS Draft by the New England Revolution.
After moving overseas, he struggled to find his footing. At Belgium’s Club Brugge — which he joined in 2022 — and Inter Milan, he battled through injuries before fighting for minutes at the latter. Following a loan to Villarreal from Inter late in the January transfer window, Buchanan has returned to form with seven goal contributions in 26 appearances, preparing the 26-year-old Canadian to play a major role for his native country in the 2026 World Cup.
“He deserves everything that’s happening to him right now,” former Syracuse and current Canada defender Kamal Miller said. “He was playing college soccer (seven) years ago, now he’s one of the most talked-about wingers in the world.”
Tajon Buchanan poses for the camera after his hat trick during Villarreal’s 5-0 win over Girona FC. Buchanan’s dream night was part of his five total goals in 26 games with the Spanish club. Courtesy of Villarreal CF
• • •
Yells echoed through Syracuse’s Ensley Athletic Center. They only intensified as minutes passed. Players and coaches from other SU teams came over to find out what the ruckus was.
It was fall 2018, and Buchanan was darting back and forth on the facility’s indoor turf. The sophomore was competing in the Yo-Yo test, one of the Orange’s preseason fitness exams that consists of repeated shuttle runs across a 20-meter stretch.
Buchanan was the last player standing. His teammates around him grew smaller and smaller as he refused to drop out, longtime SU assistant coach Jukka Masalin said.
Eventually, Buchanan collapsed from exhaustion. But not until he’d “shattered” SU’s program record, passing the previous mark by 10 levels, per former Orange midfielder John-Austin Ricks. After a breakout freshman year, it showed Buchanan was back for more.
“(He) had a lot of eyes on him coming into the year,” fellow SU teammate Massimo Ferrin said. “It showed the work he put in in the offseason. He didn’t come in thinking he was a big shot.”
In Syracuse’s 7-0 rout of St. Bonaventure on Oct. 16, 2018, Tajon Buchanan celebrates after finishing off his hat trick. Buchanan totaled 12 goals in 33 career games with SU, setting him up for his professional career. Max Freund | Daily Orange File Photo
Buchanan was in the spotlight, a complete 180 from two years prior.
No one knew Buchanan’s name when he came to Syracuse in 2017. He was a mystery in Canada, too. After he moved from his hometown of Brampton, Ontario to Colorado for high school, FIFA’s rules forbade him from playing club soccer, delaying his recruiting process, SU head coach Ian McIntyre said. Buchanan wasn’t noticed by the Orange until he exploded at an ID camp in 2016.
Once he arrived at Syracuse, Buchanan got to work.
After his freshman year, no one in college soccer could ignore him. Former Orange midfielder Jan Breitenmoser said, when Buchanan began beating SU’s top defenders like Miller, he realized his potential. Ricks added that McIntyre would put Buchanan in different formations to test his skillset, and he adapted to them all. Despite missing some scoring chances, he finished the season with four goals and two assists.
Buchanan had established himself at Syracuse. After starting on the right foot in preseason workouts before his sophomore year, he took off. Buchanan posted a career-high eight goals and four assists in 2018, becoming a more lethal finisher and coming through in the clutch.
“His trajectory just kept going forward, and he started feeling more confident, stronger, and I felt like he was the guy in our team,” Masalin said.
He just needed to become more physical. Buchanan entered college at 6-foot, 150 pounds, so Masalin said SU created a regimented training plan to improve his balance and change of direction while adding muscle.
The training paid dividends once the MLS SuperDraft arrived. Buchanan earned a Generation Adidas contract after his sophomore campaign, making him eligible for the draft.
Buchanan excelled in the pre-draft tests, which measure speed, agility and power, Tony Romano — his coach at Legacy High School (Colorado) — said. He was one of six prospects to finish top 10 in multiple categories, placing fourth with a 3.95-second 30-meter dash and ninth with a 32-inch vertical jump.
With the New England Revolution, Tajon Buchanan chases a ball down the right flank with NYCFC’s Alexander Callens on his hip. Buchanan’s best year with the Revolution was in 2021, when he was an MLS All-Star. Courtesy of New England Revolution
However, Buchanan said he didn’t speak to the Revolution before the draft. Many expected Buchanan to be off the board before their pick. Some even had him going No. 1. But Buchanan fell on Draft Day, allowing New England to kickstart his professional career by selecting him at No. 9.
He has Syracuse to thank for it.
“Syracuse was very good for Tajon, and Tajon was very good for Syracuse,” McIntyre said. “Tajon fully seized the opportunity and continues to make us very proud.”
• • •
Since he was young, Buchanan dreamed of playing in Europe. He spent three years with the Revolution under legendary coach Bruce Arena, even becoming a Best XI player in 2021.
But Buchanan felt he was ready for the next step.
He joined Club Brugge for the 2022 season, becoming one of few Canadians playing in the Champions League. But Buchanan was hampered by injuries. Club Brugge Managing Director of Sport Dévy Rigaux said he missed 71 days over two seasons, including a muscle injury that sidelined him from July to September in 2023.
Even when he was on the field, Buchanan couldn’t adjust. Rigaux said he often made his way into the final third, but he had trouble converting his chances.
“In the beginning, he got frustrated,” Rigaux said. “He got in the one-to-one with the goalkeeper, one-to-one with the last defender, but then it’s all about the split seconds: ‘What do I do right now?’”
Buchanan couldn’t catch a break. However, he took away a few things from his time with Club Brugge. Rigaux mentioned that his injuries allowed him to become more conscious of his body, and he was receptive to trainers’ feedback.
When he was on the pitch, Buchanan’s skills gradually improved. With more experience, he made better decisions in crucial moments. Club Brugge also deployed him as a fullback, and he excelled despite “offensive impulses in his DNA,” Rigaux said.
Following a strong performance as Canada’s right winger at the 2022 World Cup, Inter Milan took notice. Even though playing time wasn’t guaranteed, the club saw a future for him. With Inter boasting 46 trophies, Buchanan’s decision was simple.
“When Inter comes calling, you don’t think twice about it,” Buchanan said. “I’ve always dreamed of playing in a top-5 league. I knew it was going to be a big jump, but at that moment, that’s what I wanted.”
But Buchanan struggled even more in Milan. Before he could play a game, he broke his tibia practicing with Canada.
Even when he returned ahead of schedule last November, Buchanan didn’t receive many minutes. He was stuck behind players like wingback Denzel Dumfries in the rotation, making just 17 appearances and failing to improve his standing.
Zoey Grimes | Design Editor
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, playing time was more crucial than ever, Team Canada head coach Jesse Marsch said on the Park the Bus podcast on Aug. 26. Buchanan wasn’t benefiting from sitting on the bench. As one of Canada’s top players, Marsch was expecting him to be a starter — he needed to play.
A six-month loan to La Liga’s Villarreal in February helped him do just that. Now, after signing a five-year contract with the Spanish club, Buchanan said he’s playing his best soccer ever.
“It is not always an upward trajectory,” Ferrin said of Buchanan’s journey. “He was challenged in a way that he hadn’t been challenged before over those couple of years (at Inter), and now that’s allowed him to flourish.”
• • •
When Buchanan joined Villarreal midway through the 2025 season, he was the odd man out due to its pre-existing chemistry. He could’ve opted for a more favorable situation. Buchanan said he had offers from smaller Italian clubs, but he knew he needed to challenge himself to reach his potential again.
He proved his worth in just his 12th match with the Yellow Submarine.
On May 18 against FC Barcelona, Villarreal was tied 2-2 late. It was Buchanan’s time. After entering as a second-half substitute, he collected a cross in the 80th minute that missed the outstretched foot of one attacker and skipped through the legs of another.
It fell right to Buchanan with only Barcelona goalie Marc-André ter Stegen to beat. He didn’t waste the chance. Buchanan smashed the ball over ter Stegen’s right hand for his first Villarreal goal, giving it the late lead.
There were no backflips, but Buchanan spread his arms wide and jogged over to the right corner. His hat trick later in the season may have been his shining moment, but this score meant he was finally back.
“It’s up there with some of the more memorable moments of my career,” Buchanan said. “Not everyone can say they scored against Barcelona. Obviously, I can.”
“He just seems to continue to raise his game,” McIntyre added. “He’s scoring goals on the biggest stages in international football and continues to amaze us all.”
Tajon Buchanan celebrates one of his three goals against Girona as Villarreal teammate Karl Etta Eyong greets him. After scoring just one goal in 17 contests with Inter Milan, Buchanan has resurrected his career in Spain. Courtesy of Villarreal CF
That goal was just the start. Buchanan has resurrected his career with Villarreal across the last two seasons, with five goals and two assists. Rigaux said the club has a similar environment to Club Brugge, and he’s had more room to shine than he would in Serie A.
Buchanan’s revival hasn’t gone unnoticed. Romano said he constantly takes photos and videos of Buchanan on TV, posting them on Facebook for his current players to see.
His Syracuse teammates are even more in awe. Breitenmoser and Ferrin added they never would’ve expected this career path, especially coming from college.
They all share one belief, though: he isn’t done.
“I think he’s gonna continue to get attention at the Canadian level. He’s gonna crush it in La Liga,” Romano said. “And I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he starts getting phone calls from (English Premier League) teams.”
Assistant Sports Editor Harris Pemberton contributed reporting to this article.
Collage by Ilana Zahavy | Presentation Director, Photographs courtesy of Villarreal CF
Published on October 29, 2025 at 11:56 pm