MONTREAL – CF Montréal announced Tuesday that former player and captain Patrice Bernier will be inducted onto the Club's Wall of Fame this Saturday, May 6, during the upcoming home game at Stade Saputo against Orlando City SC at 7:30pm. A special ceremony will take place on the pitch at halftime.
For the occasion, the first 5,000 fans to arrive at Stade Saputo this Saturday as of 6pm will receive an exclusive Patrice Bernier poster upon admission. Tickets for the game can be purchased HERE.
A Fifth Player Joining The Wall
The Wall of Fame is a permanent installation at Stade Saputo where the names of players who have marked the history of the Club and who have distinguished themselves in an important way throughout their careers, both with the team and across the league, are inscribed.
Players are selected based upon the following criteria which have been further clarified: a minimum of 100 matches played, retired from professional soccer at least five years ago, recognized for an individual or team award, and played their first match with the Club at least 15 years ago.
Defenders Gabriel Gervais and Nevio Pizzolitto were the first inductees on March 17, 2018, followed by goalkeeper Greg Sutton on July 6, 2019. Last year, former captain Mauro Biello was also added to the wall on July 16 during a match against Toronto FC.
Patrice Bernier: The Eternal Captain
In six MLS seasons (2012-2017) and three A-League seasons (2000-2002), Bernier had 224 regular season appearances (third in Club history), 12 playoff appearances, 16 Canadian Championship appearances and nine Concacaf Champions League appearances. He also collected 15 goals and 25 assists in MLS regular season play. He was named Club MVP and Club Humanitarian Player in 2012. He was also invited to the 2013 MLS All-Star Game. Captain from 2014 to 2017, his accomplishments include helping the team lift the 2013 and 2014 Canadian Championships, as well as reaching the 2015 Concacaf Champions League final and the 2016 MLS Eastern Conference final against Toronto FC.
His professional career in Montreal began in 2000 and was interspersed with a ten-year stint in Europe, playing in Germany, Norway and Denmark. He retired from the professional game on October 22, 2017, against the New England Revolution at Stade Saputo. It was during this same match that Bernier also scored the 20th and final regular season goal of his career from the penalty spot (MLS and pre-MLS).
Internationally, Bernier earned 56 senior caps with the Canadian men’s national team between 1999 and 2017, wearing the armband three times. He has represented Canada in three FIFA World Cup qualifying cycles, as well as featuring in four editions of the Concacaf Gold Cup, including a semifinal appearance in the 2007 tournament.
In 2018 and 2019, he served as an assistant coach for Montreal’s Academy teams where he worked alongside the head coaches of the four Academy teams (U14, U15, U17, U19). He was then named to Thierry Henry's technical staff as an assistant coach with the first team for the 2019-2020 MLS season. He then served as a post-formation supervisor with the Academy and was involved in the Club's external Academy development programs.
Bernier was inducted into the Quebec Soccer Hall of Fame on November 25, 2017, and the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame on June 9, 2022.
