Despite a difficult season overall, Mathieu Choinière had a great year and was rightly rewarded. For the first time in ages, it was the Quebecers who led CF Montreal.
In addition to his participation in the Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Game and his first minutes with the national team, Choinière can add the title of MVP of the Bleu-Blanc-Noir to his tally in 2023.
Only one Quebecer has received this honor, and that was in 2012, during the club’s inaugural season on the Garber circuit. Patrice Bernier was honored, but since then the titles have belonged to players such as Marco Di Vaio, Ignacio Piatti and Romell Quioto.
Choinière also recognized his colleagues by awarding him the Jason Di Tullio Trophy, which rewards the fighting spirit within the team, and thanked his teammates several times.
“I am a player who needs the collective, my “boys” by my side, my teammates. You made it easy for me. I play with really good players. I was able to express myself, thanks to them I was able to be good on the pitch,” he explained at the start of the press conference.
“This year I had confidence and felt good on the pitch,” the midfielder added. That’s why I think I had a good season.”
An expected result
Choinière, who was rarely in the starting line-up before the arrival of Hernan Losada and was used in all situations due to his great versatility, managed to anchor himself firmly in the middle hinge. He made a personal record of 27 starts and seized the opportunity to lead CF Montreal with five goals and as many assists.
In a season where attackers have lacked inspiration, the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu native has been involved in most of his team’s good plays and his few absences in recent weeks have been noticeable.
“I am not surprised by the results for Mathieu. He was exemplary from the beginning to the end of the season. He absolutely deserves the title of ‘Player of Excellence’ given to him by the fans, as well as the choice of his teammates because he shows what he represents in their eyes in the dressing room,” said sporting director Olivier Renard in a press release.
The other first in class
Jonathan Sirois was named Defensive Player of the Year. The 22-year-old Montrealer is the first goaltender to be honored in this way since Evan Bush in 2018.
Due to the injury James Pantemis sustained earlier in the year, the young man was quickly pushed into the starting spot. However, Sirois retained his position and set a club record with 11 shutouts in the MLS.
“I view every game as a privilege, a gift. […] “I see every game as an opportunity to improve and prove myself,” explained the man who took part in 33 games. There was a point in the season where I had a discussion with the coach and knowing I would keep the starting spot was a bit of a relief. But I didn’t change my mentality, I didn’t stop working.”
This is a banner year for the Montreal Academy as Choinière and Sirois have both moved up in the organization. We could also add the name Nathan Saliba to this list, who would certainly have won the award in the Young Player of the Year category.
“We just gave away trophies and didn’t give them [Lionel] Messi, Douglas Costa or [Xherdan] Shaquiri. NO. We gave them to academy players Mathieu Choinière and Jonathan Sirois. We have to be proud of that,” Losada said.