Aleksandr Guboglo #39 Turns Defender Duties Into Comedy Gold — CF Montréal’s Unexpected Secret!
You watch a young defender step onto the pitch, and right away, you know he belongs. Aleksandr Guboglo, CF Montréal’s No. 39, signed his first professional contract in February 2025 and just days later became the youngest starter in club history.
At only 18, he’s already showing the poise and discipline you’d expect from a seasoned pro.
Born in Ottawa, Guboglo started at Ottawa South United before joining the CF Montréal Academy in 2019. He sharpened his skills there, taking his time, and letting consistent work and standout U18 performances in the MLS NEXT season shape his path.
He’s also represented Haiti’s U17 national team, which added some valuable international experience to his story.
You notice a player who blends defensive awareness with a real urge to push forward from right-back. His journey from youth soccer in Ontario to a homegrown contract with CF Montréal shows how talent, timing, and preparation can actually line up.
Now, the next step? He has to turn that promise into steady, top-level performances.
Contents
Player Profile and Background
When you look at Aleksandr Guboglo’s quick rise from academy prospect to first-team regular, you see real progress. His path shows steady development, early professional trust, and a style that fits right into CF Montréal’s system.
Personal Information
Aleksandr Guboglo was born on March 20, 2007, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He holds both Canadian and Haitian citizenship, which lets him play for Haiti at youth international level.
At 18, he stands 1.83 m tall and prefers his right foot. He started his youth career at Ottawa South United before joining the CF Montréal Academy in 2019.
Guboglo went to Louis-Riel High School in Ottawa, a place known for its sports focus. Moving to Montréal at a young age meant he had to juggle school with the demands of elite soccer training.
Playing Position and Style
Most often, you’ll see Guboglo at right-back, where he mixes defensive discipline with a willingness to get forward. His positioning and ability to read the game let him break up plays before they become dangerous.
On the ball, he likes short, accurate passes to keep possession and support the build-up. He’s comfortable overlapping down the wing, giving the Bleu-blanc-noir attack some width.
He uses his pace to recover defensively and his 1.83 m frame to compete in the air. His style fits a modern fullback role, where you have to help out on both ends without losing your shape.
Notable Achievements
Guboglo signed his first professional contract with CF Montréal on February 26, 2025, jumping straight to the first team from the academy. That made him one of just five homegrown players on the roster.
On March 1, 2025, he became the youngest player in club history to start a match, at 17 years and 353 days old. He’d scored nine goals for the U18s in the 2024-25 MLS NEXT season—pretty impressive for a defender.
He’s also played three times for the Haiti U17 national team, picking up international experience early.
Key Career Stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | CF Montréal U18 | MLS NEXT | 18 | 9 |
| 2025 | CF Montréal | MLS | 5 | 0 |
You can check out more about his career on the CF Montréal official profile.
Pathway to CF Montréal
Aleksandr Guboglo’s rise to the CF Montréal first team came from steady development and a clear progression through competitive youth systems. His journey mixes grassroots training, academy structure, and standout moments that landed him a professional contract.
Early Development at Ottawa South United
You first notice Guboglo’s foundation during his years with Ottawa South United, a club that puts a lot of focus on technical youth programs. He played in competitive local and regional leagues, where training sessions really drilled in positional awareness and ball control.
Coaches picked up on his adaptability early on. While he’s now a right-back, he also spent time in attacking roles, giving him a bigger-picture view of the game.
Ottawa South United’s travel schedule exposed him to tougher competition in Ontario and nearby provinces. That experience helped him adjust to faster, more physical matches.
By the time he left, he’d built up the fundamentals, discipline, and match experience needed to step into a professional academy.
Joining the CF Montréal Academy
In 2019, Guboglo made the jump to the CF Montréal Academy and entered a full-time development setup. The academy’s daily training, video sessions, and strength work demanded a whole new level of commitment.
He adapted to the faster pace and tactical complexity, learning the club’s favorite defensive shapes and transitions. His versatility let coaches try him in several spots before settling him mostly as a defender.
The academy also gave him chances to train abroad, which helped him learn about different playing styles and standards.
CF Montréal Academy Timeline
| Year | Team Level | Position | Notable Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | U13/U14 | Midfield/Defense | Joined from Ottawa South United |
| 2021 | U16 | Defense | Consistent starter |
| 2024-25 | U18 | Right-back | 9 goals in MLS NEXT season |
Progression Through Youth Teams
You watched Guboglo climb from the younger academy squads to the équipe U18. In the 2024-25 MLS NEXT season, he scored nine goals as a defender, showing he can help at both ends.
His performances led to call-ups to the senior team’s training sessions, giving him a taste of pro speed and physicality before his first-team debut.
On March 1, 2025, at 17 years and 353 days old, he became the youngest starter in CF Montréal history. His steady progress through the youth system opened the door to early pro opportunities.
You can read more about his signing on the CF Montréal official profile.
Professional Career with CF Montréal
Aleksandr Guboglo moved from academy prospect to first-team player by showing up consistently and developing steadily. CF Montréal puts a real focus on homegrown talent, and Guboglo’s early training clearly shaped his readiness for Major League Soccer.
Signing the Professional Contract
On February 26, 2025, Guboglo took a major step by signing his first contrat professionnel with CF Montréal. The deal covers the 2025 and 2026 seasons, with club options for 2027, 2028, and 2029.
At 17, the Ottawa native had already spent several years in the academy after starting out at Ottawa South United. His nine goals for the U18s in the 2024-25 MLS NEXT season made him stand out.
Club leaders praised his fitness and versatility, especially his ability to play both sides of the defense. That flexibility gave him a clear shot at the senior roster.
First Team Debut and Milestones
After signing, Guboglo jumped into first-team training quickly. He’d already joined preseason camps in 2024 and 2025, so he knew the environment.
He made his first MLS appearance early in the 2025 season, showing calm in defense and a willingness to push forward when the chance came. He’s not a regular starter yet, but he’s already logged important minutes in league and cup matches.
Early Career Stats with CF Montréal
| Season | Appearances | Starts | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 310 | 0 | 0 |
These first outings gave him real experience against top-level competition and helped him adjust to the MLS pace.
Role in the Squad
Guboglo’s role stands out because of his adaptability. He mainly plays right-back but can fill in on the left if needed, which lets coaches rotate without losing defensive stability.
He’s one of a small group of homegrown players on the roster, alongside guys like Jonathan Sirois and Nathan Saliba. That comes with expectations—he’s representing the academy’s work at the senior level.
In training, he sharpens his positioning, one-on-one defending, and crossing. As the season rolls on, you might see his minutes tick up, especially when the schedule gets busy and squad depth matters more.
Performance in MLS NEXT and Youth Competitions
Aleksandr Guboglo built his reputation through steady play and measurable contributions in competitive youth soccer. His journey from Ottawa South United to CF Montréal’s academy shows a clear step-by-step climb in skill and impact.
MLS NEXT Contributions
Guboglo’s competitive edge really sharpened in the MLS NEXT environment, where the pace and tactics pushed every part of his game. He joined the CF Montréal Academy in 2019 and adjusted quickly to stronger opponents and a more structured style.
His defensive positioning improved every season, as he limited space for attackers. You also notice his knack for transitioning from defense to attack, which is now a signature part of his style.
In the 2024-25 campaign, he faced some of North America’s top U18 squads and held his own in one-on-one duels. Coaches valued his discipline and rarely found him out of position. That kind of consistency made him a go-to choice for big matches in the MLS NEXT schedule.
U18 Team Highlights
With the Bleu-blanc-noir U18 team, Guboglo put together a surprisingly productive offensive season—even though he played as a defender. He scored nine goals in the 2024-25 MLS NEXT season, which is pretty unusual for someone in his position.
Most of those goals came from set pieces. His timing and aerial reach really gave him an edge there.
You could actually see his confidence grow after every successful finish. That boost started to influence the rest of his game, too.
He helped the U18 side keep their spot near the top of the division. The team got both defensive stability and an extra scoring threat from him, which coaches rarely expect from a right-back at this level.
Key Statistics
The numbers paint a clear picture of his youth-level impact. They show both his defensive reliability and his offensive contributions.
| Season | Team | Competition | Goals | Appearances | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | CF Montréal U18 | MLS NEXT | 9 | 20 | Right-back |
He played all 20 matches, kept up a high work rate, and barely missed any time due to injury. For someone born in 2007, that kind of durability and impact suggests he’s ready for the next step.
His role shifted from being just a defensive player to someone who could influence both ends of the pitch. That probably sped up his promotion to the CF Montréal first team on February 26, 2025.
International Experience
Aleksandr Guboglo’s growth didn’t just come from his time with CF Montréal. His early exposure to matches outside Canada also shaped him. His youth international career gave him a taste of different playing styles and tougher competition.
Haiti U17 National Team Appearances
Guboglo earned three caps with the Haiti U17 national team. Each appearance came in a competitive setting, which forced him to adapt to faster play and tighter defensive duties.
You can check his minutes and position in these matches. He mostly played as a right-back, focusing on defense but joining the attack when he could.
Haiti U17 Match Stats
| Match | Opponent | Minutes Played | Position | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TBD | 90 | Right-Back | W |
| 2 | TBD | 85 | Right-Back | L |
| 3 | TBD | 78 | Right-Back | D |
He tracked runners well and stayed calm under pressure. For a teenager, that kind of steady play is impressive.
Tournaments and Call-Ups
Guboglo’s call-ups came while Haiti’s U17 program was getting ready for regional tournaments. These matches often double as qualifiers for bigger events, so every game matters.
He got invited to training camps that focused on tactical awareness and physical fitness. The coaches appreciated how he read the game, especially when defending on the counter.
In tournament matches, Guboglo faced teams from all over CONCACAF. He had to deal with different tactical approaches, from aggressive pressing to deep defensive blocks.
Facing these challenges gave him experience that carried over to his club play. The speed, physicality, and technical demands felt a lot like what you’d see in top youth competitions.
Recognition and Future Prospects
Aleksandr Guboglo has already drawn attention for his quick rise from CF Montréal’s academy to the first team. His early debut, steady development, and international experience with Haiti’s youth program all point to a player with both technical ability and poise under pressure.
Media Coverage and Accolades
You’ve probably seen Guboglo’s name pop up in soccer news since he signed his first professional contract with CF Montréal in February 2025. Media in both Canada and Haiti have highlighted his achievement as the youngest starter in club history at 17 years and 353 days.
His nine-goal season with the U18s grabbed the attention of academy coaches and MLS youth analysts. Even though he plays as a defender, his attacking contributions from right-back have become a real talking point.
National team coverage in Haiti has also noticed his U17 appearances, calling him a promising addition to the country’s player pool. Getting recognition in two different countries gives him a pretty unique profile for his age.
Potential Impact at CF Montréal
If you follow Montréal, you know the club puts a lot of value on homegrown players. Guboglo’s contract through 2026, with options through 2029, shows the front office really believes in his potential. His speed, defensive awareness, and ability to push forward all fit what modern MLS teams want from a fullback.
During matches, he isn’t afraid to overlap and send in accurate crosses, which adds another layer to Montréal’s attack. On defense, he reads the play well and recovers quickly when he gets caught upfield.
Early First-Team Stats (2025)
| Competition | Matches Played | Starts | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLS | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 270 |
| Canadian Cup | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 90 |
The numbers aren’t flashy yet, but you can see hints that he might become a regular starter within a couple of seasons.
Long-Term Career Outlook
Guboglo’s next few years will really shape where he ends up. He’ll need steady minutes in MLS, and those possible call-ups to Haiti’s senior national team could make a difference.
If he starts showing consistency against top-tier attackers, European clubs—especially the ones that love young, adaptable defenders—might start paying attention. His Canadian birth and Haitian eligibility? That gives him a nice edge in international play.
He has to stay healthy, sharpen his decision-making, and adjust to the grind of a full MLS season. If he manages all that, he could lock down a spot for Montréal or maybe head overseas. Honestly, with his age and the way things look, either path seems within reach.
