Montreal Roses sign veteran Canadian defender Olivia Mbala

MONTREAL — Montreal Roses FC signed veteran defender Olivia Mbala for the remainder of the Northern Super League’s inaugural season Monday.

The 33-year-old from Toronto returns to Canada after playing more than 100 games in France’s top two divisions, including the past three seasons with Lille OSC.

Mbala trained in Canada’s national youth program at 18 and played college soccer at the University of North Carolina and Florida Atlantic University before moving to Europe.

The five-foot-seven centre back adds physical strength, tactical intelligence and leadership to the Roses, the team said.

Roses FC (6-2-3) is second in the NSL standings with 18 points through 10 games.

The club hosts last-place Halifax Tides FC on Saturday.

“We recruited Olivia not only for her invaluable experience in France’s D1 and D2, but also for her exceptional athletic qualities,” sporting director Marinette Pichon said in a statement. “She’s dominant in the air and known for her clean distribution, whether playing short or carrying the ball forward. She knows how to disrupt the opponent and can initiate the attack from the backline.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2025.