Derek Austin Cornelius is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for Scottish Premiership club Rangers, on loan from Marseille, and for the Canada national team.

Cornelius speaks English. His father, Derek, was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, and his mother, Karen, was born in Manchester, Jamaica. He began playing soccer at age four with Ajax SC in house league. Growing up, his favourites included Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United, and Real Madrid.

Internationally, he represented Canada at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and was part of Canada’s Concacaf-winning squad in the 2021–22 Concacaf Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. He also featured for Canada at one CONMEBOL Copa América, helping the team finish fourth at USA 2024.

At club level, he won the Allsvenskan title with Malmö FF in 2023, lifting the Lennart Johanssons Pokal.

He was also part of the Canada Soccer squad that met Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on 15 November 2021, when the Prime Minister made a surprise visit to a training session ahead of their FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match the following day in Edmonton.