Maxime Crépeau broke his leg to win an MLS Cup. Literally shattered it. Charged out of his goal line in the 110th minute against Philadelphia, took out Cory Burke, got a red card, and was carted off the field with two fractured bones in his right leg.
He watched his LAFC teammates lift the trophy via FaceTime from a hospital bed.
That was November 2022. That moment tells you everything you need to know about the goalkeeper Orlando City just signed.
Orlando needed a number one — they got a warrior
The Lions announced Tuesday that Crépeau is joining on a free transfer through the 2027-28 season. He replaces Pedro Gallese, who departed after six years, 201 appearances, and a legacy that will hang over whoever inherited those gloves.
"Maxime is a proven goalkeeper with a championship pedigree and a wealth of experience at the highest levels," general manager Ricardo Moreira said in the club's announcement. "He's an MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield winner, a former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalist and a Canadian international who brings leadership, professionalism and composure to our squad."
The press release stuff is fine. What matters is the context.
Crépeau, 31, arrives from Portland, where he spent two seasons sharing time with James Pantemis under Phil Neville's inconsistent management. He made 41 appearances, recorded five clean sheets, and never quite recaptured the form that made him a league-record acquisition when LAFC paid $1 million in allocation money for him in January 2022.
But here's the thing about Crépeau: he's been through hell and came back.
The road back from that broken leg
After the MLS Cup injury, Crépeau missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar — Canada's first since 1986. He would have been the backup behind Milan Borjan, but instead he watched from home while his leg healed.
"You realize your leg is broken, and my first thought was, the game is not over, right?" Crépeau told the Globe and Mail during his recovery. "But I'm kind of in a bit of a shock, and then I have the realization of the World Cup in three weeks."
He didn't return to competitive action until July 2023, almost ten months later. He had to rebuild his body with LAFC's second team before earning his way back to the first team. His first MLS start back? September 16, 2023, against the Galaxy. He kept a clean sheet.
"I left my leg for the star," Crépeau said of the championship logo on his jersey. "It's not always beautiful, the journey. There was a lot of pain physically, and a lot of pain mentally as well."
That's the mentality Orlando is buying.
The Gallese problem
Pedro Gallese was a club legend. No question. The man they called "El Pulpo" — the octopus — set records for appearances, saves, wins, and clean sheets. He won the 2022 MLS Save of the Year. He scored a shootout winner against Toluca in the 2025 Leagues Cup.
But by the end, something had slipped. Too many mistakes. Too many costly moments. And at $1 million a year, Orlando couldn't justify keeping a 35-year-old goalkeeper whose best days were clearly behind him.
Crépeau won't command that kind of salary. He's coming off a bench-sharing situation in Portland where he wasn't even the clear starter. Oscar Pareja is getting a motivated player with something to prove — and that might be exactly what the Lions need.
The World Cup angle
There's another layer here. Canada hosts the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico. Crépeau has 29 caps for Les Rouges and started every match during their run to the Copa America semifinals last summer.
But he's competing with Dayne St. Clair — who just signed with Inter Miami — for the starting job. St. Clair has momentum. He's younger. He's been more consistent over the past 18 months.
A strong season in Orlando could be the difference between Crépeau watching another World Cup from the bench or finally getting the tournament he missed in 2022.
That's motivation you can't manufacture.
What Orlando is really getting
Crépeau speaks three languages — English, French, and Spanish. In a locker room as diverse as Orlando's, that matters. Moreira specifically mentioned it: "His ability to speak multiple languages and his international experience will help him connect seamlessly with our diverse group."
He's been through MLS Cup finals. He's played for clubs where expectations were impossibly high. He's dealt with hostile crowds — Vancouver fans still boo him after feeling betrayed by his departure to LAFC in 2022.
And he broke his leg to stop a goal in extra time of a championship match.
Orlando City opens their 2026 season on February 21 against Red Bull New York at Inter&Co Stadium. By then, we'll know if Crépeau is the man who replaces Gallese's legacy or just the guy who filled the gap.
Based on everything he's been through, I'm betting on the former.