“Gustavo brings an impressive resume, having worked with some extremely talented players, but more importantly, he embodies the characteristics, mindset, and philosophy that Atlético Ottawa seeks to implement every day,” said CEO Manuel Vega. “We are excited to provide this opportunity for Gustavo to continue his development as a coach and for the fans to witness his passion for the game as we enter a new chapter in the club’s history”.
On the international stage, Leal won the Gold Medal at the 2022 Olympic Games as the Assistant Coach of Brazil, working with stars such as Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) and Matheus Cunha (Manchester United). Leal has been a full-time coach since the age of 27 and first managed the U17 and U20 squads of prominent Brazilian giant, Fluminense FC.
Leal: “To me, football is more than a game. It’s about passion, it’s about life, it’s about dreams. I want the supporters, all match, to feel the same feelings as we do. The good vibes, good feelings that football can give you; that’s my goal. We need to be a team that will play in the offensive part of the pitch, always searching to score more and trying to create offensive actions that get people out of their seats. We need to win matches, but more than this, we must win by playing a beautiful style of football.”
Atlético Ottawa is currently sitting in third place in the CPL table (5W-2D-5L) with 16 matches remaining in the 2026 regular season.