Hellenic Highway: Matteo Polisi Keeping Options Open In Greece
By Despite exiting the Canadian Premier League this year following two seasons with Pacific, it’s been a wave-making season for former CPL midfielder Matteo Polisi.
The North Star Shield winner set sail for the TSS Rovers, where he captained the side through a history-making Canadian Championship upset over Valour FC, bagging two goals against the visitors.
It marked the first time a professional club had been knocked out by semi-pro opposition, with the bonus of some personally sweet revenge for Matteo: Valour had passed over him in a preseason trial, and so he knocked them out of a cup.
While the reigning League1 BC champions lost in the next round against his former side Pacific and later finished second in the league, Matteo Polisi has pivoted to keep himself in the running for a professional reignition.
The 25-year-old has now signed with third division Greek side Anagennisi Epanomis, inking a season-long deal with an agreement in place to allow a transfer out if a higher offer comes in during the December transfer window.
The 2023-2024 Gamma Ethniki season has seen Epanomis off to a tough start with just one win, five draws, and four losses from their opening nine fixtures, but it allows Matteo to dip his feet into European football.
The Whitecaps FC Residency grad had never played outside of North America before, though he has played abroad: he developed with the Portland Timbers Residency Program before jumping to the Whitecaps equivalent, later proving to be an NCAA standout with Simon Fraser University.
Matteo had hoped to reach MLS heights through the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, but pivoted to the Canadian Premier League after going unselected in the draft. His brother Marcello also landed in the league, initially signing with Halifax but now plying his trade with Valour.
For now, Matteo will be hoping that his Greek adventure will help him eventually rejoin his brother in professional ranks. While it remains to be seen if he’ll get a call this winter, the midfielder is keeping himself available (and fit) should a Canadian Premier League side wish to include him in a roster build ahead of the 2024 CPL season.
…though a club outside of Canadian pastures would work too.