Orlando City
Maxime Crepeau Faces Challenges in First Season with Orlando City
The Canadian goalkeeper enters his first year as a Lion with a lot to prove.
Orlando City will have a new starting goalkeeper for the first time since 2019 when Maxime Crepeau makes his debut with the Lions. How the Canadian performs will not only be a factor in Orlando City’s playoff chances but also his own World Cup hopes. Let’s look at the challenges facing Crepeau in 2026.
The Comparison
I know many people — including myself — were a bit underwhelmed when Orlando City signed Crepeau after Carlos Coronel ghosted the club to flake off to Brazil. The club had decided to move on from longtime keeper Pedro Gallese after six seasons. It looked like Coronel was a done deal, and then he wasn’t. General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira pivoted to Crepeau. Given the circumstances, it was a good signing.
Of course, it does feel like a bit of a downgrade from Gallese, but let’s look at the numbers. In 2025 Gallese appeared in 32 matches (all starts), playing 2,880 minutes, earning eight clean sheets, allowing 49 goals, and compiling 105 saves. With Portland, Crepeau appeared in15 matches (all starts), playing 1,350 minutes, earning three clean sheets, allowing 22 goals, and logging 47 saves.
That translates to 3.28 saves and 1.53 goals allowed per match, and a save percentage of 68.18% for Gallese. In comparison, Crepeau made 3.13 saves and allowed 1.47 goals per match, and had a save percentage of 68.12%. As you can see, the stats aren’t all that different. Of course, the defense in front of a keeper contributes to those stats.
The Challenges
Crepeau is taking over for a well-liked keeper. He will know that he wasn’t Orlando City’s first choice. That is a tough environment to come into at a new club. He will need to learn how to work with his new teammates while adjusting to a new city and club. Fortunately, he is a veteran MLS keeper, so he won’t need to adjust to the league.
He is also trying to be Canada’s goalkeeper for the World Cup. His main competition for the position is Dayne St. Clair, who signed with Inter Miami this off-season. That matchup adds an entire new level to the Tropic Thunder rivalry. Crepeau will have the added stress of competing for that spot.
The Motivation
Crepeau has no lack of motivation to play to the highest level of his career this season. Of course, he will want to help Orlando City win the U.S. Open Cup, the Leagues Cup, the Supporters’ Shield, and MLS Cup. Those might seem like lofty goals, but such aspirations are no different than anyone else’s on the team. On a personal level, he will want to prove he isn’t the second choice of club or country. He will want to prove he is a great replacement for Gallese. He will want to prove he should be Canada’s number one. All of these are good reasons for the Canadian to up his game this season.
Those are my considerations on the challenges facing Orlando City’s new man between the sticks. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!