2025 Canadian Premier League Best XI: Forge FC and Atletico Ottawa Dominate the Lineup
Forge FC and Atletico Ottawa have a strong presence in the 2025 Canadian Premier League Best XI team, with five players each making the cut. Forge, the regular-season leaders, have goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat, defenders Daniel Nimick and Rezart Rama, and midfielders Nana Ampomah and Kyle Bekker in the lineup. Atletico Ottawa is represented by defender Noah Abatneh, midfielder Manuel Aparicio, and forwards David Rodriguez and Sam Salter. The remaining two spots in the Best XI are filled by Cavalry FC midfielder Sergio Camargo and Halifax Wanderers forward Tiago Coimbra. The selection of the Best XI was made by the league's football department.
The Best XI team includes several individual award winners, such as Tiago Coimbra (Best U-21 Canadian Player), Jassem Koleilat (Golden Glove), Daniel Nimick (Defender of the Year), and Sam Salter (Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year). David Rodriguez of Atletico Ottawa was also named the MVP of the 2025 CPL final for his performance in the snowy 2-1 victory over Cavalry, where he scored both goals. Kyle Bekker has now been selected for the Best XI three years in a row, while Manuel Aparicio and Daniel Nimick were previously chosen in 2023. The other eight players in the Best XI team are receiving this honor for the first time.
The complete 2025 Canadian Premier League Best XI team is as follows:
- Goalkeeper: Jassem Koleilat, Forge FC
- Defenders: Noah Abatneh, Atletico Ottawa; Daniel Nimick, Forge FC; Rezart Rama, Forge FC
- Midfielders: Nana Ampomah, Forge FC; Sergio Camargo, Cavalry FC; Manuel Aparicio, Atletico Ottawa; Kyle Bekker, Forge FC
- Forwards: David Rodriguez, Atletico Ottawa; Tiago Coimbra, Halifax Wanderers FC; Samuel Salter, Atletico Ottawa
This selection showcases the top performers in the 2025 Canadian Premier League season, recognizing their outstanding contributions to their respective teams and the league as a whole.