Quebec's All-Local Soccer Team Takes the Field This Spring

When Rocco Placentino stood before his team at their first training session, the former Canadian international couldn't hold back tears. Every player, coach, and staff member staring back at him shared one thing: deep roots in Quebec.

FC Supra du Quebec is launching this April in Canada's top soccer league with a bold promise. They'll only sign players born, raised, or deeply connected to the French-speaking province of roughly nine million people.

The approach mirrors Spain's Athletic Bilbao, which has built a legendary club using only Basque players for over a century. Now Quebec wants to prove it can develop world-class talent without looking elsewhere.

Placentino, who played professionally in Montreal and Italy, saw too many local players fall through the cracks. While Montreal's other pro team scouts globally, Supra is betting on the street ballers and overlooked talents in their own backyard.

Quebec has already produced stars like Ismael Kone, now playing for Italy's Sassulo, and Moise Bombito at France's Nice. Both grew up in Montreal's culturally diverse neighborhoods where soccer is a passion that crosses every background.

The new club revives the name and blue, white, and red colors of Supra Montreal, which operated from 1988 to 1992. Placentino attended those games as a six-year-old with his father, dreaming of playing professionally himself one day.

That personal connection runs deep in the roster too. Nineteen-year-old Alessandro Biello signed with Supra, following in the footsteps of his dad Mauro, who played for the original club and later captained alongside Placentino in Montreal.

The Ripple Effect

The local-only policy has already created waves far beyond Quebec's borders. Placentino has rejected over 150 offers from players with no provincial connection, staying true to the club's mission.

But Quebec natives playing overseas have flooded the team with requests to come home. Players currently competing in Guatemala, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Malta are asking for their chance to represent their roots.

The team proudly displays Quebec's flag on their jerseys, a powerful symbol in a province with a complex relationship with the rest of Canada. Chief Branding Officer Paul Desbaillets calls it proof of what makes Quebec spectacular: a melting pot of French, Italian, British, Moroccan, Persian, and Asian cultures united by one identity.

Placentino looks to countries like Belgium and Iceland as proof that smaller regions can develop players who compete globally. His vision is simple: create a professional environment that keeps the DNA of Quebec's street soccer culture alive while giving players the platform to shine.

Quebec's dream is taking the field, one local player at a time.