Brett Levis Announces Retirement

Canadian full-back Brett Levis is retiring a champion.

The 32-year-old Regina native has announced his exit from professional football following his trophy-winning season with Atletico Ottawa, calling curtains on a career that saw him feature in the Major League Soccer, USL, and the Canadian Premier League.

“It’s hard to know where to start,” said Levis online. “Soccer has given me more than I could have ever imagined. It’s taken me all over the world, introduced me to lifelong friends, and pushed me to my limits both mentally and physically. Most importantly, it allowed me to meet my beautiful wife, Carmen, who gave me the most amazing baby girl.”

Levis made 183 appearances at the professional level. His career got its start while turning heads at the University of Saskatchewan, simultaneously impressing for the Whitecaps U-23 side before turning professional with the Whitecaps FC 2 in 2015.

Just over one year later, Brett made his first team debut on a short-term contract during a Champions League match against Central FC, with the ‘Caps then signing him to a multi-year first team deal. However, he would suffer an ACL tear that would sideline him for most of the 2017 season.

After making a handful of first-team appearances for the Vancouver Whitecaps and cracking Canada’s forty-man provisional roster for the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup, Levis moved on to Winnipeg’s Valour FC in 2020. He spent three seasons in Winnipeg before heading stateside to ply his trade for FC Tulsa and Detroit City, with Levis living in Windsor and commuting across the international border during his spell with the latter.

While he signed a two-year deal with Atletico Ottawa in 2025, the full-back has opted to hang up his boots midway through and end his playing career on a high note. His final professional season saw him tally twelve appearances split between left-back and centre-back under head coach Diego Mejia.

“Soccer allowed me to live a dream I didn’t even know was possible. I want to say thank you to everyone who supported me through all the ups and downs and followed my journey from Saskatoon to Major League Soccer and everywhere in between.”

It’s fair to say that Levis, who recently became a parent alongside his long-term partner and fellow Saskatchewan Huskies alumnus Carmen Levis, has a lot of joy in front of him, too.

“To my wife, Carmen, I couldn’t have achieved my dreams without you believing in me and helping me through it all. Thank you for everything. And finally, to my mom, my biggest supporter from day one, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.”

It’s unclear what will come next for Levis and if the 32-year-old will remain in the game through a different capacity. Fellow Regina native Drew Beckie retired with Atletico Ottawa in 2022, and is now the club’s assistant coach and head of football development.

We wish Brett Levis all the best in his retirement.

Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques