Full-Back Bombshell: Valour Adds Zachary Fernandez

With defender of the year nominee Themi Antonoglou representing Valour on the left wing, the Winnipeg-based club has now added CPL heavyweight Zachary Fernandez on the right.

The 23-year-old full-back has signed a one-year deal with Valour that includes a club option for 2026, representing quite a tidy bit of business from a head coach and general manager who was re-signed for another campaign.

Fernandez, from Laval, Quebec, clocks in as one of the league’s top full-backs who many had speculated would be moving on to a higher level.

The last three years saw him represent Halifax well, tallying five goals and eight assists in 77 appearances as he established himself as one of the best attack-minded full-backs to be found in Canada’s top flight.

The defender had progressed through the CF Montreal Academy ranks, training with the first team in 2020 and 2021 before landing with AS Blainville ahead of his Wanderers era.

“Zach will elevate the quality of our back line as he’s a real competitor,” says Phillip Dos Santos. “He adds a different dimension to the way we can utilize our fullbacks. He’s a true competitor, a player you hate to play against but love having on your side. He fits the mentality and identity we want to bring to our squad. The truth is that today, with Zach, we are a better team.”   

With Valour adding some intriguing players league-wide – like Kris Twardek and Rocco Romeo – the squad composition as it heads into year seven has certainly taken a good twist.

Header Image Photo Credit: Raphael Williams-Claudio