Jean-Aniel Assi

Jean-Aniel Assi

Personal information
Full name	Jean-Aniel Eclesiaste Assi
Date of birth	(2004-08-12) 12 August 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Adzopé, Ivory Coast
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Marbella
Number	12
Youth career
	ASM LaSalle
	Royal-Sélect de Beauport
2017–2020	Montreal Impact
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2023	CF Montréal[a]	0	(0)
2022	→ Cavalry FC (loan)	19	(0)
2023	→ Atlético Ottawa (loan)	25	(1)
2024	Crown Legacy FC	7	(0)
2024–	Marbella	2	(0)
International career^‡
2019	Canada U15	5	(4)
2022	Canada U20	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 31, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 26, 2022

Jean-Aniel Eclesiaste Assi (born 12 August 2004) is a professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Crown Legacy FC of MLS Next Pro. Born in the Ivory Coast, Assi represents Canada internationally.

Early life

Born in Adzopé, Ivory Coast, in 2004, Assi moved to Canada at age 10.^[1] He began playing youth soccer in Canada with ASM LaSalle,^[2] before joining Royal-Sélect de Beauport.^[3] In 2017, he joined the Montreal Impact Academy.^[4] In 2020, he took part in the pre-season training camp with the first team, when he was only fifteen.^[5]

Club career

On 4 December 2020, Assi signed his first homegrown contract with Montreal Impact (later renamed CF Montréal for the 2021 season).^[6][7] Assi made his professional debut with Montreal Impact in a 1-0 CONCACAF Champions League win over C.D. Olimpia on 15 December 2020,^[1] becoming the youngest ever player to play for the club at the age of 16 years and 125 days.^[8][9]

In March 2022, Assi went on a one-year loan with Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC.^[10][11] In February 2023, he went on loan with Atlético Ottawa.^[12] Upon completion of the 2023 Season, CF Montréal would announce that they would not pick up Assi's contract for 2024, ending his time with the club.^[13]

In January 2024, Assi joined Crown Legacy FC, the MLS Next Pro affiliate of Charlotte FC.^[14]

International career

As of January 2021^[update], Assi is eligible to represent both the Ivory Coast and Canada.^[1] In July 2019, he made his debut in the Canadian youth program at a U15 camp.^[2] He represented the Canada U15s at the 2019 CONCACAF Boys' Under-15 Championship,^[15] where he was named to the Tournament All-Star XI.^[16] In June 2022, he was named to the Canadian U-20 team for the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.^[17]

Career statistics

As of October 7, 2023^[18]

Club	League	Season	League		Playoffs		Domestic Cup		Continental		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
CF Montreal	Major League Soccer	2020	0	0	0	0	—		1	0	1	0
		2021	0	0	—		0	0	—		0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
Cavalry FC (loan)	Canadian Premier League	2022	19	0	0	0	2	0	—		21	0
Atlético Ottawa (loan)		2023	25	1	—		2	0	—		27	1
Career Total			44	1	0	0	4	0	1	0	49	1

Notes

1. Montreal Impact changed its name to CF Montréal in 2021

References

1. Piedboeuf, Guillaume (4 January 2021). "Jean-Aniel Assi, le jeune joyau ivoirien de l'Impact forgé à Québec" [Jean-Aniel Assi, the young Ivorian jewel of the Impact forged in Quebec]. Ici Radio-Canada Télé (in French).
2. Jean-Aniel Assi at the Canadian Soccer Association
3. Tardif, Carl (21 December 2020). "Soccer: le saut dans l'histoire de Jean-Aniel Assi" [Soccer: the jump in the history of Jean-Aniel Assi]. Le Soleil (in French).
4. "Jean-Aniel Assi avec l'équipe première" [Jean-Aniel Assi with the first team]. SE Sports Management (in French). 4 December 2020.
5. "Au camp de l'Impact de Montréal à 15 ans" [At the Montreal Impact camp at age 15]. Le Journal de Montréal (in French). 14 January 2020.
6. "Jean-Aniel Assi, Sean Rea, Nathan-Dylan Saliba et Rida Zouhir signent avec l'Impact". RDS. 4 December 2020.
7. Bogert, Tom (4 December 2020). "Montreal Impact sign four players to homegrown contracts". Major League Soccer.
8. "L'Impact éliminé en quart de finale – Foot 2020" [The Impact eliminated in the quarter-finals - Foot 2020]. Foot Euro 2020 (in French). 16 December 2020.
9. Parisis, Quentin (3 May 2023). "Jean-Aniel Assi confiant pour la saison et sa progression" [Jean-Aniel Assi confident for the season and his progress]. Canadian Premier League (in French).
10. "Cavalry FC signs Karifa Yao and Jean-Aniel Assi of CF Montreal on Loan to the 2022 Roster". Cavalry FC. 18 March 2022.
11. Jacques, John (18 March 2022). "CF Montreal Loans Yao And Assi To Cavalry". Northern Tribune.
12. "Atlético Ottawa signs CF Montréal winger Jean-Aniel Assi on-loan". Atlético Ottawa. 15 February 2023.
13. "CF Montréal exercises options on four players for the 2024 season". CF Montréal. 1 December 2023.
14. "Crown Legacy FC Sign Three Players in Preparations for Their Second Season". Charlotte FC. Charlotte FC. 25 January 2024.
15. "Yao returns to Cavalry, bringing along another loaner in Assi". Calgary Sun. 18 March 2022.
16. "Jean-Aniel Assi becomes Montreal's Youngest Ever Player". Beswick Sports. 15 December 2020.
17. O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (10 June 2022). "6 CPLers named to Canada squad for Concacaf Men's U-20 Championship". Canadian Premier League.
18. Jean-Aniel Assi at Soccerway

External links

• Jean-Aniel Assi at Soccerway
• CF Montreal Profile
• Jean-Aniel Assi at the Canadian Soccer Association