Official: Daniel Krutzen Departs Forge FC

Three-time CPL champion Daniel Krutzen has said his farewell to Forge FC.

The club original had recently trialed with the Vancouver Whitecaps before departing training camp following an offer from the USL Championship.

Krutzen, 26, had made eighty appearances for Forge FC throughout the last four years, helping the club to three North Star Shield titles. The Dutch defender missed most of the previous CPL season after suffering an ACL injury at the tail end of the 2021, but surged back during the playoff period to captain the side en route to their latest title win.

He’ll certainly leave big shoes to fill, and a letter written by the defender sees him reflect warmly on his time in orange:

It’s been an incredible ride these past four seasons. From playing my first professional minutes, to winning three championships in four seasons, to going eleven rounds in penalties against an MLS team, to qualifying for the Concacaf Champions League, to tearing my ACL, only to come back and captain the team to its third championship. It’s been an honor to say the least.

I would like to thank all of the staff and all of my teammates for the hard work they’ve put in every single day, and I’m forever grateful for everything we’ve achieved together.

To the fans, I can’t say thank you enough for filling the stands every single week and for sharing some of the most memorable nights at Tim Hortons Field with us. You guys made them so much more special. Thank you.

I’ve decided it’s time for a new chapter, but will be cheering for this club from a distance on its way to more history.

It was Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini who revealed that the top CPL defender had received a good offer stateside, though it remains to be seen where Krutzen will land. Having acquired his permanent residency in Canada, there was no doubt interest from other CPL sides – but as Krutzen said himself, it was time for a new chapter.

The left-footed defender’s career began with him progressing through the Genk academy system before heading the US for his education, during which time he featured for PDL sides FC Tucson and Reading United. When the inaugural CPL season camp around, Krutzen joined the side and proved to be a strong and consistent leader at the back.

His time with Forge FC saw the Hamilton-based side install itself as a consistent league favourite that represented the fledgling domestic league will in both domestic cup competition and continental action, too. With Krutzen at the back, Forge made history as not only the first team to represent the CPL in continental action, but the first time to qualify for the Concacaf Champions League, too.

He’d trialed elsewhere in the offseason before this one, with 2021 seeing him join top flight Swedish side Orebro SK. It doesn’t look like Europe has called this time, though fans will have to wait to see where the three-time CPL champion lands next. Given the timing of his open letter, they probably won’t have long to wait.

Header Image Credit: Audrey Magny