MONTREAL – CF Montréal announced Tuesday that midfielder Mathieu Choinière was named the Club’s 2023 Most Valuable Player, while Jonathan Sirois won Defensive Player of the Year. Choinière was also the recipient of the Jason Di Tullio Trophy, awarded in recognition of the player who best embodied the spirit of “La Grinta” throughout the MLS season.
Following a preliminary selection by CF Montréal’s technical staff, fans then voted online for Club MVP and Defensive Player of the Year winners among the three finalists in each category.
This marks the first time in Club history that two homegrown players take home end-of-season honours.
Choinière finished the season as the team's top scorer with five goals and five assists. The 24-year-old enjoyed a record-breaking season in 2023 since his promotion to the first team in 2018. The first homegrown player to be selected for the 2023 MLS All-Star Game, the Saint-Alexandre native logged 2,436 MLS minutes in 28 games this season, including 27 starts. He is now the all-time leader among homegrown players in several categories, including games played (102), games started (72), minutes played (6,575) and match-winning assists (4). The other nominees included forward Mahala Opoku and goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
In his rookie MLS season, Sirois was in contention for both trophies this year. He wins his first individual honour with the Club, having set two new Club records with 11 MLS shutouts, including nine at home. In 2023, the 22-year-old played 33 games and 2,887 minutes. He also recorded 98 saves for a 67.6 save percentage. He now holds the Club's second-best goals-against average in MLS (1.465) and has moved up to fourth place among CF Montréal MLS goalkeepers for most starts and minutes played. The remaining nominees included defenders Gabriele Corbo and Joel Waterman.
“I am not surprised by the votes in Mathieu’s favour. He was exemplary from start to finish. He wholly deserves the title of Most Valuable Player as recognized by the fans, as well as the choice of his teammates, because it shows what he means to them in the dressing room,” said CF Montréal Vice-President and Chief Sporting Officer Olivier Renard. “No surprise either for Jonathan, who could also have been named MVP. After two years on loan, he has achieved great things with us this season, notably setting a record in clean sheets. He is a fine example of a player who has progressed within the organization, remained focused on his role and objectives, and became a first-team regular with his hometown club.”
Since 2022, the Jason Di Tullio Trophy is voted on by the first team roster. This recognition is an annual award given in honour of former CF Montréal player and assistant coach Jason Di Tullio, who passed away on July 29, 2022. Throughout his career, Di Tullio demonstrated unparalleled courage and determination, particularly during his final battle with cancer. The “La Grinta” expression has become synonymous with Di Tullio’s legacy at the Club. For a second consecutive year, this recognition is proudly awarded to the player who demonstrated the fiery and fighting spirit Di Tullio embodied all his life and the mark he left at CF Montréal.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (IN MLS)
2023: Mathieu Choinière
2022 : Romell Quioto
2021 : Djordje Mihailovic
2020 : Romell Quioto
2019 : Orji Okwonkwo
2018 : Ignacio Piatti
2017 : Ignacio Piatti
2016 : Ignacio Piatti
2015 : Ignacio Piatti
2014 : Andrés Romero
2013 : Marco Di Vaio
2012 : Patrice Bernier
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (IN MLS)
2023: Jonathan Sirois
2022 : Alistair Johnston
2021 : Rudy Camacho
2020 : Luis Binks
2019 : Bacary Sagna
2018 : Evan Bush
2017 : Daniel Lovitz
2016 : Hassoun Camara
2015 : Laurent Ciman
JASON-DI-TULLIO TROPHY WINNER
2023: Mathieu Choinière
2022 : Tomas Giraldo
