FC Supra du Quebec made it clear from the very beginning that they would be very Québecois, and meant serious business. This is very on brand.

The Canadian Premier League expansion club have pulled off one of the biggest signings in the club’s young history, adding former CF Montréal defender Zachary Brault-Guillard to their inaugural roster on Friday, through the end of the 2026 season. The 27-year-old has eight caps for the Canadian men’s national team, but has been without a club since leaving FC Lugano this summer, and now finds himself back in La Belle Province.

Brault-Guillard made over 100 matches in Major League Soccer for CF Montréal between 2019 and 2023, winning the 2019 and 2021 Canadian Championships and being named the tournament’s Best Young Canadian Player in 2019. 2023 was also the last time he appeared in a game for the national team, part of John Herdman’s squad at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Brault-Guillard’s two-year spell in Switzerland brought 47 appearances for Lugano across competitions after he arrived from Montréal in July 2024. His first season provided considerably more opportunity. He made 20 Swiss Super League appearances in 2024-25, starting 12, and supplied one assist. He also featured in Lugano’s European run, including two UEFA Conference League matches.

The 2025-26 campaign was much tougher. Brault-Guillard appeared in 18 league matches but started just twice, playing 389 minutes. He did not score or register an assist and his final Super League appearance came on March 22, when he played one minute against Young Boys. He also made one Conference League appearance and one Swiss Cup appearance.

Lugano confirmed in May that his contract would expire June 30, ending a stint in which he was frequently used as a substitute.

“Bringing a player like Zachary to FC Supra is significant for our club and sends a clear message that we are here to compete,” said FC Supra president Rocco Placentino. “He grew up in Montreal, has represented Canada and has built an impressive career here and in Europe. He understands Quebec soccer and what the game means to this community.

“We’re proud that he has chosen to come home and be part of what we are building at FC Supra.”

Related Read: Behind the scenes at FC Supra: Inside Canada’s newest club who built their own house, their own way

FC Supra have a stable of former CF Montreal players including David Choinière, who made 10 appearances for the MLS side before his move to Forge FC where he became a CPL star. Sean Rea, Clément Bayiha, Keesean Ferdinand and Alessandro Biello, Ismaël Yeo, Omar El-Kalkouli and Alexander Makarova George also came up through CF Montreal’s Academy, but only a handful made it as far as the first team.

On Tuesday, FC Supra looked set to take a one-goal advantage back to Hamilton after Ibrahim Condé opened the scoring in the 36th minute of their Canadian Championship semifinal 1st leg. But Forge FC star Daniel Krutzen struck deep into stoppage time to deny the CPL newcomers a famous win.

With 22 points from their first 19 CPL matches, Supra are right in the playoff hunt. They trail 4th place Vancouver FC by five points before they visit the Eagles on Sunday.

The top-4 teams at the end of the CPL regular season advance to a four-team playoff semifinal round.