MONTRÉAL, QC — CF Montréal has announced the appointment of Laurent Courtois as their new head coach. The former Columbus Crew MLS NEXT Pro team coach is set to lead Montréal into the upcoming season, bringing a wealth of coaching and playing experience to the role.
Courtois’s coaching career includes guiding the Columbus Crew’s NEXT Pro team to an inaugural league title in 2022 and a championship match appearance in 2023. His successful track record in developing young players aligns with CF Montréal’s sporting project and ambition.
Olivier Renard, Montréal’s VP and chief sporting officer, expressed confidence in Courtois’s capabilities: “We are confident that he will be able to replicate his past success with our club’s core team and young talent.”
At 45, the Frenchman becomes Montréal’s third head coach in three years, following the tenures of Wilfried Nancy and Hernán Losada. Courtois brings a unique perspective from his playing days as a midfielder for the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA, as well as a career spanning several European clubs.
Courtois, the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Coach of the Year, shared his excitement about the new role: “I’m very proud of this responsibility. I want to continue the development work begun with our young players, while offering a dynamic style of play and emotions to the fans.”
CF Montréal, looking to rebound from missing the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2023, boasts a squad featuring forward Kwadwo Opoku, midfielder Mathieu Choinière, and defender Joel Waterman. The team aims to improve upon their performance from the previous season, where they finished 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Courtois’s appointment heralds a new chapter for CF Montréal, emphasizing youth development and dynamic play. The team’s season begins on February 24 with an away game against Orlando City SC, marking the start of their quest for success in the MLS under Courtois’s guidance.
