The Man from Nowhere
Few had heard of Moïse Bombito when he arrived from MLS last summer but the 25 year-old Canadian has been one of the best defenders in Ligue 1 this season
It’s been a season full of highs for OGC Nice. Playing with dash and dynamism, Franck Haise’s entertainers were among the top scorers in Ligue 1 (66), ending up with a fifth-place finish and a place in the preliminary round of next season’s Champions League. However, perhaps one of the biggest success stories on the Côte d’Azur – and surely most unexpected - was at the other end of the pitch. Canadian centre back, Moïse Bombito was little known in European football circles when he was brought in to replace Jean-Clair Todibo, and yet his eye-catching performances, allying lightning speed with consummate assurance in possession, has marked him out as one of the best defenders in the league last season.
So, who is Ligue 1’s latest superstar and where did he come from?
Born and raised in Montréal, Québec, Moïse Bombito Lumpungu’s senior career began just five years ago with CS Saint-Hubert in Ligue1 Québec, a semi-professional provincial league in Canada’s third tier. It was while at Saint-Hubert that Bombito met the man he has since described as his “mentor”, François Bourgeais. Now a coach at FC Lorient, the Frenchman convinced Bombito to swap being a striker for his now familiar role as a central defender.
A former defender in Ligue 1, Bourgeais realised that Bombito’s natural ball playing skills and outstanding spatial awareness could be combined to more affect further back. With the game in front of him, Bombito was able to build from deep and dictate the rhythm of a match. Moreover, in Bourgeais’s words the teenager was simply “impassable” defensively.
After two years developing his defensive craft, Bombito earned a move over the border with Seacoast United Phantoms in USL League Two – America’s fourth tier – where he was able to combine his studies at the University of New Hampshire. In just one year, Bombito helped the Phantoms to the Northeast Division title and earned himself a place in the league’s team of the year.
In December 2022 Bombito was selected in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the MLS outfit Colorado Rapids - finally the 19-year-old had secured a move to a top-flight professional league. However, before Bombito was able to test himself he suffered a knee injury during training. After three months on the sidelines, he worked his way to full fitness with Colorado’s reserve team, Rapids 2, and his debut in May, a full first half in the 5-0 rout of Galaxy II, quickly saw him promoted to the first team just a week later against Philadelphia Union.
Now fully fit, there wasn’t any stopping Bombito, with his imperious performances securing a permanent role in the Rapids backline. International recognition followed fast, with the defender making his debut for Les Rouges in the opening match of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup against Guadeloupe.
After just 18 months in MLS, Bombito earned his dream move to Europe in a deal rising up to €7m – the highest fee for a centre-back in the league’s history. The defender’s debut season has been an unqualified success, clocking up 35 appearances for Les Aiglons and establishing himself as a vital ingredient in Haise’s back three alongside Antoine Mendy and Dante. As French football expert Liam Scahill observes, “Once Haise introduced the Canadian to the thrilling world of Ligue 1, he quickly became a key player. With incredible speed, technical finesse, and the ability to wield either foot, he’s a true giant of a man on the pitch.”
When the Canadian arrived in France he made the decision to take the number 64 number – as a nod to the number of the bus he took to school and the foundation year of his home city of Montréal (1642). His wish is that one day future Montréalers will be motivated to take the same number. It’s safe to say that the 25-year-old’s exploits in France are already providing plenty of inspiration.
With thanks to Liam Scahill for sharing his observations on Moïse Bombito. Check out Liam’s superb Substack blog on Ligue 1, The Ligue1 Essential.
