COMMERCE CITY, Colo – Colorado Rapids 2 have signed goalkeeper Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen to an MLS NEXT Pro contract, the club announced today.
“We are excited to add Nico to our goalkeeping corps,” said Brian Crookham, Colorado Rapids Director of Player Personnel. "He will fill a critical role and has the ability to seamlessly move between our First and Second team environments. We believe he has a tremendous upside, and we are looking forward to getting him going.”
Defreitas-Hansen, 23, will continue his career in MLS NEXT Pro where he spent the last season with Houston Dynamo FC 2. With the club, Defreitas-Hansen started 10 games and posted two clean sheets in net.
The goalkeeper was a member of the Weston FC Academy in Florida before moving to Europe to begin his professional career. At 16-years-old, he joined the Everton FC youth system, where he featured for their U-18 side until 2019. Defreitas-Hansen then signed his first professional contract with Everton on July 4, 2019, and earned a spot on the club’s U-23 side within Premier League 2.
Following his time with Everton, the Southwest Ranches native spent a season with Swansea City’s U-21 side before making the move to Atherton Collieries A.F.C. of the Northern Premier League in 2022. Defreitas-Hansen received consistent playing time with the club, having made 52 appearances with 12 clean sheets over two seasons.
While he was born in the United States, Defreitas-Hansen has played at the international level with the Denmark U-19 National Team. The goalkeeper has made three appearances for the Danish side with his last call-up coming in 2019. Prior to spending time with Denmark at the international level, Defreitas-Hansen also received call-ups with the U.S. Youth National Team at the U-16 and U-17 levels.
TRANSACTION: Colorado Rapids 2 sign goalkeeper Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen on January 8, 2025.
Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen
Pronunciation: NEE-koh-lahs deh-FRAY-tahs HAN-sen
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170 lbs
Birthdate: July 10, 2001
Birthplace: Southwest Ranches, FL
Nationality: United States, Denmark
