Big family influence on Charlotte defender
Canadian Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, one of 15 siblings, to face hometown club Toronto, plus Agyemang goodbyes and Charlotte FC looking for continue hot home stretch Saturday
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Defender Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty brings maturity and poise to his new role with Charlotte FC that comes naturally: He is one of 15 siblings
Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty taking on the Toronto team that signed him at age 15. (Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC.)
When defender Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty arrived on loan in late April, as an on-the-fly addition to replace injured Nathan Byrne, it was clear he was mature beyond his then 20 years.
He’d played in 88 Major League Soccer games already, mostly with Toronto FC, the club that made him its youngest-ever signee at the age of 15. So it made some sense. But then Marshall-Rutty mentioned, almost in passing, leading up to Charlotte FC’s first game in Toronto this season, that he has 14 siblings. Then it made a lot more sense.
Dealing with chaos and being adaptable is part of his upbringing.
“Household was always full,” Marshall-Rutty said in a more in-depth interview ahead of Saturday’s game against Toronto at Bank of America Stadium. “That being said, it also came with a lot of support. My family is a big part of where I am today and who I am today. I always had my older brothers pushing me, and then always looking after my younger siblings. So it was nice.”
Marshall-Rutty is one of 11 boys and four girls to parents Mark Rutty and Gwen Marshall. Jahkeele, who turned 21 in June, is seventh-oldest.
There’s Ruby, Simbad, Justice, Jahnelle, Trinity, Jahone, Jahkeele, identical twins Ramario and Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Zico, Babeto, Olivia, Isabella, and Autumn.
The obvious next question?
“My mom’s amazing,” Jahkeele said. “If you look at my mom, you would never imagine she had so many children. Part of who I am and what I do is for her. She’s made so many sacrifices for all of us, and she gave us the best gift, which is life.”
They grew up in the Toronto suburb of Brampton, in a busy household. Everybody had chores, many slept two to a room, and they traveled around in two oversized SUVs. The fastest kids to eat were the most likely to get seconds, but there was always plenty of food to go around, Jahkeele said.
“My mom can cook everything: Caribbean food, Chinese food, Italian food, Greek food,” he said. “There was always food in the kitchen. She always made sure there were groceries and food.”
Jahkeele’s father, Mark, is the one who introduced him to soccer. His siblings gave him the incentive to get better.
“When I was younger, whether it was football, soccer, basketball, racing, it was always a competition,” he said. “From a young age, I was always playing up older ages, soccer wise, just to be competitive with my oldest siblings.”
In the Canadian winters, Jahkeele spent hours every day in the family basement kicking into a Tekk net, which rebounded the ball to him. When it was warm enough to play in the backyard, the neighbor’s fence was in the final third.
Despite his mom’s warnings to stop, Jahkeele once broke a plank in a neighbor’s wooden fence.
“I panicked,” Marshall-Rutty said. “But the neighbor was really nice. He said, ‘Now you’ve got to grow into a soccer player.’”
By age 12, he’d been signed to Toronto FC Academy. He was discovered, Jahkeele said, at a soccer camp for members of Membertou First Nation. Jahkeele’s mother is half-German, half-Mi’kmaq, an indigenous group native to Canada.
“They asked me, ‘Why haven’t you tried out for Toronto] FC?’” Jahkeele said. “At the time, I was unknown. I was playing for my local Brampton team, but I got recognized at my native camp.”
When he signed his first professional contract at 15, becoming the youngest player Toronto FC had ever signed, he bought his family a house. The basement has been renovated so there are now 10 bedrooms in all. He had turf installed in the backyard for his younger siblings. He’s thinking about giving up his room so his younger brother Zico doesn’t have to share anymore.
Jahkeele said he takes pride in giving back to the native community, when he’s home in Toronto. He’s proud of his Canadian roots, and they’re showing on Instagram, where he’s been befriended by Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber, who is also a soccer fan.
He has taken to life in Charlotte, where he jokes that he enjoys paying less in taxes, and likes palling around with some of his Charlotte FC teammates who live in the same uptown apartment building.
On the field, he’s adapted under fire, starting 12 of Charlotte’s 14 league games since he arrived. Under Coach Dean Smith’s system, where he’s needed at fullback instead of his more typical wingback, he’s taken a few lumps as he’s adjusted to playing in a more structured defense and playing both left and right out of necessity. But he’s also brought some dynamic connection with winger Wilfried Zaha, and a calm understanding.
His loan from CF Montreal is up at the end of the season, and Byrne is on his way back from neck surgery — aiming to return for Leagues Cup in early August — but Marshall-Rutty is doing what he does, taking it as it comes with poise beyond his years.
When asked if he’d like to stay on in Charlotte, Marshall-Rutty said, “Yeah, of course. But obviously I can’t control that. I only control playing and performing well and winning and getting back to where we were when I first arrived. So that’s what’s been on my mind.”
[Correction: This article was updated on Aug. 1, 2025 to reflect that Marshall-Rutty is one of 15 siblings. The number of siblings was previously reported as 14 and failed to include Simbad, his second to oldest brother.]
Agyemang back in Charlotte to say goodbyes
Patrick Agyemang signed a photo he’s taken for freelance photographer Jorge Torres. (Photo courtesy of Torres.)
Patrick Agyemang didn’t have a chance to say many goodbyes before heading off to England, for the announcement of his transfer to Derby County of the English Championship last week. But he did return to Charlotte this week and took some time for goodbyes.
Jorge Torres, a freelance photographer who shoots for SoccerSheet.com, met up with Agyemang on Wednesday to exchange a print he’d taken of Agyemang for a signed photograph.
Torres said he reached out to Agyemang on social media and got a response back. He met up with him at his uptown apartment building. Agyemang signed his print: “My guy! Thanks for everything and the support. Means a lot and always have love for you. Thank ya family!
“It never hurts to ask, because you know what they say: ‘Closed mouths don’t get fed,’” said Torres. “I asked. I took a shot. He gave me the opportunity.”
Torres said Agyemang told him he had already undergone successful surgery to repair a hernia and was aiming to get back on the field for Derby County by September. Agyemang told Torres he’d been by Charlotte FC’s practice facility to say his goodbyes as well.
Agyemang, Charlotte’s first round MLS SuperDraft pick in 2023, was sold to Derby County on a Charlotte FC record $8 million fee, plus $2 million in bonuses.
Up Next: Charlotte FC (11-11-2) vs. Toronto FC (5-12-6)
When/Where: 7:30 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
How to watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Find information about how to subscribe for the season here.
How to listen: WFNZ 92.7 in English, WOLS 106.1 in Spanish.
Notable:
Charlotte FC is unbeaten in four straight: a draw against Orlando and wins over New York City FC, D.C. United and on the road against Atlanta United. This is the last MLS game before the break for the Leagues Cup tournament featuring MLS and Liga MX teams.
Pep Biel has been on a production tear with five goals and four assists in his past five games. He is now in double digits in both goals (10) and assists (11) on the season.
Wilfried Zaha has assists in each of his past five games and added a goal in the 3-2 victory in Atlanta.
Liel Abada is available for Saturday after missing the trip to Atlanta with a groin muscle injury. Nathan Byrne (neck surgery) has been back in practice and is eyeing a return in Leagues Cup. Souleyman Doumbia is unavailable for Saturday as his injury problems continue.
Toronto is rebuilding its roster after buying out Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. But it has played well in its last three games, losing to Nashville 1-0, defeating San Diego 1-0 and tying Atlanta 1-1.
Early-arriving fans Saturday will receive a Kerwin Vargas “flipping” bobblehead, honoring his trademark back flip goal celebrations.
Carroll Walton is a longtime baseball writer with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution now in her fourth season covering Charlotte FC. She would love to hear from you. E-mail her with questions, suggestions, story ideas and comments!
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