Meet the CanMNT quintet about to compete in Ligue 1 in 2024-2025

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Long referred to as the “league of talents”, Ligue 1 has been the home to some impressive players over the years. 

A list that includes names like Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eduardo Camavinga, Olivier Giroud, Eden Hazard and many more (and that’s just from the 2010s onwards), it’s seen as a great league for young players to find their feet, and for stars to shine. 

There have been some Canadians who have seen that first-hand, too, and no better example of that than Jonathan David, who has become one of the best players in Ligue 1 thanks to his goalscoring exploits over the past few years. 

Now, however, after David’s spent several seasons carrying the flag in terms of Canadians playing in Ligue 1, there are some new Canadians to watch in the circuit, as there’s been a mass arrival of CanMNT players who have joined the league over the summer. 

With a growing Canadian player pool, teams have started to realize that top Canadian talent can be had at a good price, and for a league that has struggled financially as of late, some smart teams have done well to capitalize on the value some Canadian signings can bring.

As a result, there will be several fascinating faces to keep an eye on this season from a Canadian perspective, which is huge for the CanMNT. 

With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about the Canadian quintet set to feature in the league as it kicks off this weekend. 

Jonathan David, LOSC:

It’s wild to think, but quietly, Jonathan David is now entering his fifth season with Lille - or at least he is for now. 

With constant rumours swirling around him, and his contract set to expire next summer, it’s still hard to imagine he’ll be at Lille when September rolls around, but at the same time, with each passing day, it seems to be more and more of a possibility that he’ll stick around for a fifth and final season with the French club before leaving as a free agent as a next summer. 

And while it’s felt he’s been ready to make the step up to a top club for years, that’s not the worst option in the world, either. 

A club where he’s made nearly 150 appearances, winning a Ligue 1 title and a Trophée des Champions, he’s done well to carve out his spot as a Lille legend. 

Having scored 85 goals across his four seasons, including 71 in Ligue 1, he’s done well to remain consistent and has even improved year-over-year, scoring 13 goals (all competitions) in 2020-2021, 19 in 2021-2022, 26 in 2022-2023 and then 26 again in 2023-2024. 

Now, the big goal for him if he stays with Lille will be to step up and truly show that he’s a top star in the league, as he’s got a big opportunity ahead of them. After the departure of Kylian Mbappe from PSG, that makes David one of the favourites to win the Golden Boot, having finished third in that race behind Mbappe and Alexandre Lacazette in 2022-2023, and then tied for second with Lacazette behind Mbappe last season. 

With Mbappe gone and Lacazette now 33 years of age, there’s no reason why David can’t push for that trophy, which would be massive for Lille, who will see themselves as strong contenders to win their second title in the past five years given what Mbappe’s departure means to PSG. 

Also on the verge of qualifying for the 2024-2025 Champions League, currently in the final round of qualifying, a big season could await Lille because of all that, which is why it’s not the worst news if David sticks around. 

Huge goal today for Jonathan David, who scored a late 118th-minute tally for Lille in the 2nd leg of their 3rd round #UCL qualifier vs Fenerbahce, opening his 24/25 account and sending LOSC to the final round of UCL qualifying

Good to see from JD#CanMNTpic.twitter.com/KrtrZdG38K

— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) August 13, 2024

Because of that, keep an eye on him if he does. If he wants to make the big move to a top club in the English Premier League, as he’s long stated is his goal, he’ll want to have a dominant season. 

He does that, and teams will be tripping over each other to sign him as a free agent and for good reason. For all of the focus on his goalscoring, his game is much more well-rounded than that, which is why it’s been surprising not to see him move yet, knowing what he brings to the table.  

Now, however, he’s got the opportunity to cement his case to make that next step, and Canadians will be keeping a close eye on him to see if he does, knowing how important he is to Jesse Marsch’s side.

Ismaël Koné, Olympique de Marseille:

It was one of the big moves of the summer from a Canadian perspective, and one can only wonder if it’s paved the way for some of the moves that have since followed, as Ismaël Koné joined Marseille for a fee reportedly upwards of $12 million while Canada was still amid their participation at the 2024 Copa América. 

Marseille’s number 51: ISMAËL KONÉ 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/JQDzwBAtf4

— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) July 29, 2024

After spending just one and a half seasons with Watford in the EFL Championship, it was a big move for Koné, who gets to join a historic giant in a top-five league just over two years after he made his professional debut with CF Montréal. 

Not only that, but he seems to have been dropped into the perfect situation to develop, too. Of course, Ligue 1 itself is always a great landing spot for top young talent, but this Marseille situation seems to be ideal for Koné, too, especially after they brought in coach Roberto De Zerbi to helm the team. 

Coming off a stint with Brighton where De Zerbi worked with some top youngsters, including midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Moisés Caicedo, it’s exciting to imagine what Koné could do under his tutelage going forward. 

After what he learned at his 63 games for Watford, where he did well to adjust to the speed and physicality of the Championship, it’s felt that Koné could be on the cusp of a big breakout, and he teased that this summer. 

As he showed in a friendly for Canada against France and in their Copa América semi-final against Argentina, he can dominate games when he’s at his best, doing well to glide through the midfield in possession, picking out dangerous passes with ease. And, most importantly, he’s grown a lot defensively, which is a big credit to the work he put in at Watford. 

Because of that, it’s made him the complete package in the middle, as he can dribble, pass, shoot and defend, which combined with his tall frame, makes him a great box-to-box midfielder. 

That’s enticing for Canada, who will hope he can dominate the midfield for them for years to come, and that starts with a strong season at Marseille. 

Yet, that’s why this move is so exciting, and why it’s intriguing to see how Koné can fare in Ligue 1, as it feels like he has the tools to grow into a dominant midfielder in the circuit, one that could potentially earn a move elsewhere with a couple of good seasons, given that he’s still only 22. 

He’ll certainly be in tough to battle for a spot, as Marseille have some strong midfield options including Azzedine Ounahi, Pierre-Emile Højberg, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Jordan Veretout, but it’s expected that he’ll fit in nicely in De Zerbi’s projected 4-2-3-1, where he likes to employ a box-to-box #8 alongside a #6 in the double pivot. 

Now, all that’s left is for Koné to go out and make a starting spot his own, and then take care of business from there.

Derek Cornelius, Olympique de Marseille:

Who would’ve thought there’d be not one, but two Canadians playing at Marseille in 2024-2025? 

Jesse Marsch won’t mind that, however, as Derek Cornelius’s move was an exciting and rewarding move for someone who has been through quite the journey to get to this point. 

📂 Mercato_2425
👤 Derek Cornelius 🇨🇦
📸 Le Panier
🗓️ 04/08/24
🔵⚪️ #CorneliusEstOlympien pic.twitter.com/x0e499iOZ0

— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) August 4, 2024

Having gone on a European adventure over the past few years, going from Greek side Panetolikos to Swedish giants Malmö FF, he’s taken his biggest step yet with this move to Marseille. 

It’s one that’s well deserved, too, as he stepped up as a key general at the back for Malmö, where he won a league title and Swedish Cup trophy in his year and a half with the club. 

After spending years battling for a spot in the Canadian starting lineup despite being a consistent starter at the club level over the past few years, making 47 appearances for Panetolikos and 48 appearances for Malmö since the summer of 2021, he was able to carve out a regular spot under Marsch this year. 

And now, he’ll continue his growth at the club level under De Zerbi, which is an exciting prospect given the game model his new coach employs. One where centre backs are crucial to how they build up and in possession, it’ll be something that Cornelius will be used to, as well, having developed a lot as a passer for Malmö, who often dominated games in possession. 

Now, the big question for Cornelius will be to see how much he plays. With five other centre backs at Marseille, Leonardo Balerdi, Chancel Mbemba, Lilian Brassier, Samuel Gigot and Bamo Meïté, he faces some tough competition to earn minutes from the get-go. 

At the same time, when seeing Cornelius’s journey to this point, one thing is for sure - he’ll battle to earn every minute, and he’ll make the most of any opportunity he gets. That’s how he went from someone who struggled to carve out a role in MLS to now playing for a club of Marseille’s stature and an indisputable starter for Canada at 26, and he’ll look to continue to grow as he tackles the next chapter in his journey. 

Moïse Bombito, OGC Nice:

It’s wild to imagine that just two years ago, Moïse Bombito had just started his first and only season with NCAA side New Hampshire, having just transferred over from a junior college in Iowa. 

Now, after a whirlwind two years that saw him shine for New Hampshire, get drafted by the Colorado Rapids, become one of the best defenders in MLS and become an undisputed starter for the CanMNT, he’s now set to join OGC Nice on a transfer worth over $7 million. 

🚨 INFO CCPP
💣MOÏSE BOMBITO À NICE

Le défenseur central des Rapids du Colorado est sur le point de rejoindre l'OGC Nice.

L'International canadien de 24 ans est pressenti pour remplacer Jean-Clair Todibo, qui a quitté le club pour rejoindre West Ham en Premier League.

Nice a… pic.twitter.com/JSGafmoiRq

— Nilton Jorge (@NiltonJorge) August 13, 2024

There, it’s hoped he can continue his meteoric rise, and there’s no reason why that won’t be the case given what he’s shown over the past 18 months. 

A speedy defender who is strong technically, he’s proven to be a quick learner, which has allowed him to quickly adjust to whatever level he’s played at. 

He proved that this summer, as despite having less than 30 appearances for the Rapids' first team, most of them coming this year, he was able to go up against teams like France, Argentina and Uruguay, who had names like Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez and more, doing so while emerging relatively unscathed. 

Certainly, he made mistakes - he’s only human after all - but even when there were moments where it looked like he might still need some adjustment period, he’d then do well to quickly put errors behind him and show his level with some bright periods of play. 

Yet, that’s why it’s exciting to see how he handles this move. There’s no doubt that Bombito has the physical tools to be a top centre back, as he’s incredibly rapid (his sprint speed clocked in as the fastest in MLS earlier this season), great with the ball and is tall, giving him the profile of a modern centre back, one who can help his team on both sides of the ball and in both boxes. 

Where he’s shone, however, is through his mentality, doing well to have a short memory and being a quick learner, which are both crucial for a young centre back. 

Now, a great opportunity awaits him at Nice, where he was brought in to replace Jean-Clair Todibo after he was sold to West Ham for a big fee this summer. On a Nice side light for centre backs, with Dante and Amidou Doumbouya the only natural centre backs listed on their roster, Bombito should get plenty of opportunities to carve out a regular spot in their starting 11, too. 

That’s exciting, as he has the tools to play at this level, and will get to develop them at a good team, one that will play in the Europa League this year. Plus, being around Dante, who is 40 years of age and has played at the top level at clubs like Bayern and Wolfsburg, will be invaluable for him as he grows and develops.

Because of that, there’s lots to be excited about for this move for the 24-year-old, who will look to continue and build as he further carves out his role as a starting centre back for Canada, a spot it’s hard to imagine him losing any time soon after this move.

Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre:

Last, but certainly not least, there’s Theo Bair, who made one of the more intriguing moves of any Canadian so far this summer when he joined newly promoted Ligue 1 side Auxerre earlier this summer. 

🆕 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞 𝐥’𝐀𝐉𝐀 🔵⚪️
Le club est ravi d’annoncer la signature de l’international canadien jusqu’en 2028
👉 https://t.co/LYMpvZY1Nd

𝑩𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐 ! 😃#TeamAJA pic.twitter.com/gMr0iBWvkn

— AJ Auxerre (@AJA) July 16, 2024

After just one season at Motherwell, where he scored 15 goals and added six assists in the Scottish Premiership after scoring just one goal and adding two assists in the one-and-half SPFL seasons he previously spent with St.Johnstone, it was an incredible breakout from the forward, who was one of the best players in the Scottish League last year. 

As a result, he earned a spot in the CanMNT for the Copa América and started to attract some transfer interest, before eventually deciding to make the move to Auxerre. 

And there, he appeared to have made a strong move, too, as he’ll have a good opportunity to take another big step forward in France. 

Likely to earn big minutes for Auxerre after making a move worth over $2 million, he’ll be relied upon big-time to help score goals for his new club as they look to avoid relegation in their return to Ligue 1. 

For what it’s worth, there are signs to indicate he’s more than ready for that job. Given that he did well to find the net consistently for Motherwell, a midtable side in Scotland, he’s proven that he can score goals even if he’s not getting as much service as one would want as a striker, as he sometimes had to cut an isolated figure up front for Motherwell, a role he might have to occupy for Auxerre. 

Theo Bair, who is making a #CanMNT push with 8 goals in his last 6 league games for Motherwell, has been one of the most lethal FWs in the SPFL so far this season, finishing at an impressive rate

Otherwise, his chance creation and aerial %s also stand out

Just needs more shots pic.twitter.com/oRLi6r585T

— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) February 16, 2024

Not only that, but he can also create chances on his own, too, as shown by his assist count, and can bring a lot to the game other than his goals, as he’s a physical presence and can help a lot in possession. 

Because of that, it’s expected he plays a big role leading the line for Auxerre, who gave him the #9 shirt when he signed, a strong signal of their intent to deploy him regularly. 

That’s exciting, as he’s still only 24, and is coming off his first season where he had over 1000 minutes for a club, so he’ll see this as his chance to further prove what he can do when given an opportunity to shine. 

From there, he’ll look to further push into the Canadian fold, showing that he deserves more minutes, having played just 13 minutes at the Copa América. If he scores goals at a decent rate for Auxerre, that total will go up significantly going forward and even put himself in contention to start games alongside Jonathan David, which is an exciting prospect. 

Given that he was just looking to carve out his feet as a professional when he arrived at Motherwell a year ago, it’s been an incredible rise, one that he’ll want to prove is far from over.