10 players who could emerge like Moïse Bombito for the CanMNT in 2024-2025
It’s a remarkable story.
Just two years ago, Moïse Bombito was preparing to make his NCAA Division 1 debut with the New Hampshire Wildcats, where he had transferred after a successful stint in Junior College with the Iowa Western Reivers.
Now, he’s fresh off a multi-million dollar to Ligue 1 side OGC Nice this month, having become the latest Canadian to make the jump to a top-five league in Europe, having done so off the back of a strong summer of action at the club level and for the Canadian Men’s National Team.
Yet, while Bombito’s late rise is one worth celebrating, as it’s remarkable to see the perseverance he showed pay off the way it has, it’s also bittersweet, as one can only wonder what his career could’ve looked like if he had been discovered and scouted earlier.
Certainly, Jesse Marsch has been pondering that, as he noted in July he felt it was “unacceptable that a player like Moïse Bombito is not discovered until he is 23 years old.” And given that Bombito himself has noted that several talents he grew up with did fall through the cracks after not getting the right opportunities, one can also wonder how many other Bombito’s were missed and not even discovered that late.
"It is unacceptable that a player like Moise Bombito is not discovered until he is 23 years old: I've coached some of the best CBs in the world... and his talent level is in that category"#CanMNT head coach Jesse Marsch on talent scouting in Canada 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/cEPiRYxYNc
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 16, 2024
The good news for Marsch is that current players in Bombito’s situation are slowly getting more opportunities to showcase themselves in ways that Bombito wasn’t able to before. The rise of the Canadian Premier League has helped massively in that regard, as has the advance of MLS Next Pro, and those are but a few of the avenues players can use, which also now includes options like League 1 Canada.
With that in mind, here are some Canadian and USA-based players to watch as scouts look to make sure that the next Bombito doesn’t fall through the cracks, allowing them to find the next surprise impact contributor for the CanMNT.
The young risers:
First, however, it’s worth noting that the players to watch can be split into two different categories.
To begin, there are the young risers, who are still far from their prime, but have still been able to accumulate valuable professional experience and could be on the cusp of big breakouts if all goes well for them.
Several of them exist in the CPL, for example, as all one has to do is parse through the list of U21 Canadians playing in the league, with several of them key contributors to their respective sides already at a young age.
For example, Noah Abatneh is a prime example of that, as the 19-year-old centre back has been a rock for a title contender in York United, racking up nearly 1500 minutes this season, building off a 2023 campaign where he had around 500 minutes, as he’s become one of the best defenders in the CPL. After being unable to break through Lazio’s academy, it’s been a great stop for him, and given his age, it would not be surprising to see him make a big step up in the next few years, be it to MLS or straight to Europe given that he has an English passport. Before, players like him might’ve had to grind things out in the lower divisions in Europe in the hope of an opportunity after things at Lazio didn’t work out, but now he has had the chance to earn minutes at a good level close to home.
He's heard Jesse Marsch loud and clear 🫡@JoshRJHealey ✍️ on why Noah Abatneh of @YorkUtdFC could be next #CanPL star to earn #CanMNT considerations 🇨🇦
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) August 16, 2024
READ 👉 https://t.co/yFWPiKtyBB pic.twitter.com/uqsI3S7WVX
Otherwise, Kwasi Poku is a great example of what success at the CPL level can do, as he recently earned a move to RWD Molenbeek in Belgium for a record CPL fee, doing well to turn the experience of 70 appearances with Forge into a European move at 21.
Lastly, the case of Eric Lajeunesse is a fascinating one, as the 21-year-old has been able to continue his studies at UBC while making the most of the CPL’s- U SPORTS agreement with Pacific FC, racking up over 2000 pro minutes with the club over the past two seasons. Before, going to school was a last resort for many players, but Lajeunesse has been able to balance that, showing that there can be a path where a player can chase their pro dreams while earning an education.
There are several other examples of other young players making the most of opportunities to earn U21 minutes in the CPL, too, such as Emil Gazdov, Grady McDonnell, James Cameron, Maēl Henry, Juan Pablo Sánchez, Khadim Kane, Shola Jimoh, Tyr Walker, Jefferson Alphonse and more, who are all names to watch going forward.
At the same time, there are also some fascinating names grinding their way for MLS clubs.
Kimani Stewart-Baynes is one to watch at Bombito’s old club, Colorado, who after drafting Bombito quite high up in the 2023 MLS Super Draft, did the same with Stewart-Baynes in 2024. Given that Stewart-Baynes is just 19, and has made a similar number of appearances to Bombito’s debut season in 2023 (albeit while accumulating far fewer minutes), one can wonder if the Rapids see a similar ascension plan for him, which would see him become a full-time regular in 2025, which is exciting given his age.
Then, up north, 20-year-old Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty has just gotten a new opportunity in MLS, as he was traded from Toronto FC, where he made 83 appearances over a handful of seasons, to CF Montréal, who have done well to push Canadians like Ismaël Koné, Alistair Johnston and soon Mathieu Choinière to Europe. Instead of having to settle for a backwards step, he gets the chance for a reset at a level he’s familiar with but hasn’t gotten the chance to get an extended opportunity at, which is key.
Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty est Montréalais 🙌
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) August 9, 2024
Le CF Montréal fait l'acquisition de l'ailier Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty du Toronto FC >>> https://t.co/TG2IC5h3dE
CF Montréal acquires wingback Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty from Toronto FC >>> https://t.co/PtH0j8K99h#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/QgRqrqnaqA
Lastly, a fascinating name to watch is former CF Montréal academy graduate Keesean Ferdinand, who has become a key piece for the Portland Timbers MLS Next Pro side, where he’s made 49 appearances since the start of 2023. Having just turned 21, it’s been key to see a young defender rack up minutes as he has, as one will expect that to turn into an opportunity with Portland’s first team sooner rather than later.
And there are several other names to watch across MLS, as young Canadians are becoming an increasingly more valuable commodity. Be it in the Super Draft, via trades or the other, more American teams are taking punts on Canadians for their MLS or MLS Next Pro sides, and those names are skewing younger, too, which is exciting to see.
So while there’s a whole host of intriguing Canadian youngsters coming out of Canadian academies, such as Jeevan Badwal, Lazar Stefanovic and Nathan Saliba, it’s good to know that several who haven’t been able to stick with their clubs can find opportunities elsewhere in MLS, and in the case of some, the CPL, which is the case of some on that list of young CPLers that was mentioned earlier such as McDonnell, Henry and Alphonse, which is nice to see.
The late bloomers:
Of course, however, while there are seemingly more and more young players earning professional minutes for clubs within North America, reducing the possibility of players like Bombito falling through the cracks, there are still also several players who have battled to earn professional opportunities much later than others.
Ultimately, that’s the reality of the game across the world - players develop at different rates, and some will need to go through different journeys to reach their top potential. Compared to a Bombito, who wasn’t seen until far later, sometimes a player can take their time to reach their stride even when discovered.
There are a few players to keep an eye on in that regard, especially in the CPL.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few to watch in MLS - Ali Ahmed’s a prime example of that, as he only became a full-time MLS contributor as a 22-year-old in 2023, and is battling to follow in Bombito’s footsteps as someone who makes the jump to Europe now as a 23-year-old. Tani Oluwaseyi is another example of that, as he was playing in the USL last year on loan, and has been one of the best strikers in MLS as a 24-year-old this year, which earned him a CanMNT call, despite it only being his first full MLS season.
It’s Tani Time⏰
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) July 18, 2024
Tani Oluwaseyi is back to scoring ways for #MNUFC after Copa América, scoring today vs DC United to give him 8G/4A in 16 MLS apps
He continues to finish when given the chance for Minny - his goals will come for the #CanMNT with more repspic.twitter.com/pMDpIQ2DLf
Because of that, keep an eye on 22-year-old Brandon Cambridge, as the former Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder has been on the cusp of first-team opportunities with Charlotte FC, which he would’ve likely earned this year if not for an injury, as he has an intriguing profile as a winger. Stephen Afrifa is another one to watch at Sporting KC, as the 23-year-old forward has quietly become an impact contributor with the club in his second season after getting drafted in the Super Draft in 2023, scoring five goals and adding two assists for their first team this year.
Stunning goal from @OneKnoxSC alum Stephen Afrifa ☄️
— WATE Sports (@WATESports) August 6, 2024
5 goals + 2 assists in ~700 minutes for the 8th pick of the 2023 MLS SuperDraftpic.twitter.com/4kW0SXxput
Meanwhile, in MLS Next Pro, 22-year-old Sal Mezzaferro is another intriguing centre back option, as he’s racked up 50 appearances for Austin FC’s 2nd team since the start of last year, making some wonder if he’ll soon earn some first-team minutes for the Texas-based club.
Otherwise, there’s also the 22-year-old Isaiah Johnston, as the former York United midfielder recently joined USL Championship side Loudon United after a stint with Nashville SC’s MLS Next Pro side, as he’ll look to make the jump up to MLS with some strong showings with his new club.
Then, up in the CPL, there are several names to watch, across the board.
For example, despite being in his fifth CPL season, Pacific’s Sean Young only turned 23 this year and has attracted MLS interest in the past. And then, there’s someone like Eryk Kobza, who is in his second professional season at 22 but is a classic late bloomer who went the Canadian university route, and has shone for Cavalry since making his pro debut last year.
The same goes for someone like Gianfranco Facchinieri at Valour, where he has several late-bloomer teammates like Themi Antonoglou and Safwane Mlah, and that extends to key pieces across the CPL such as Alessandro Hojabpour, Malik Owolabi-Belewu, Max Ferrari, Matteo de Brienne, Dan Nimick, Sean Rea and Zachary Fernandez, who are all 24 or younger and could benefit from a move upwards, similar to what former CPLers Joel Waterman and Lukas MacNaughton did before them.
GOAL ⚓️⚓️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) August 10, 2024
And just like in the first half, @HFXWanderersFC find a quick goal to respond to @CPLCavalryFC and it's now just a 3-2 lead for the home team, as Dan Nimick converts from the penalty spot
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/iOrosIFlih
The key thing that all of these names will need, however? An opportunity. That’s how Bombito’s journey started, as the Rapids took the chance on him as a draft pick, and that led him to where he is today.
In a soccer world where things can change very quickly, just getting that first opportunity is key, providing a springboard to bigger and better things, such as the 2026 World Cup.
For those who wonder if the World Cup is too big of a goal for any of these players to reach for, perhaps, just remember that if someone were to copy Bombito’s journey en route to making Canada’s World Cup squad the same way he made this year’s Copa América team, they’d only need to be making their NCAA debut this year, so there might be players we haven’t even heard of yet set for a big rise.
They just need that first opportunity and will go from there, much like Bombito did, so we’ll be keeping a close eye to make sure they’re seen when the chance comes around.
