January 23, 2025...Mo Babouli returnss to Forge FC ahead of 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup (from canpl.ca)
Mo Babouli returns to Forge FC ahead of 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup
2025-01-23
by Charlie O’Connor-Clarke, Digital Content Editor (@charliejclarke)
Forge FC announced Thursday that attacker Mo Babouli is returning to Hamilton, signing with the club for 2025 after spending the past three seasons with York United FC.
Babouli made 53 appearances for York, scoring 19 goals with six assists and captaining the club in 2024 to its best-ever league finish and first playoff victory — and scoring in both of their postseason matches. He joined the club mid-season in 2022 and went on to become the Nine Stripes’ joint all-time leading goalscorer.
In his time at York, Babouli received votes all three years for the CPL’s Players’ Player of the Year award, finishing sixth in 2022 despite playing just eight games that season.
The 32-year-old is back at Forge now after spending the 2020 and 2021 campaigns there, winning a championship with the club in 2020 at the Island Games in Prince Edward Island. Babouli made 43 total appearances for the club over his two seasons, scoring 12 goals and adding six assists — including four goals, two assists in in 10 Concacaf League games.
Babouli’s experience on the continental stage is likely a major reason behind his return to Hamilton, as he prepares with them for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. He’ll likely be a key figure in attacking midfield for head coach Bobby Smyrniotis’ side as they take on Liga MX giants CF Monterrey in early February.
Although he played largely as a centre-forward or second striker in his time at Forge, the majority of Babouli’s matches at York were in the number 10 position. He’s proven himself a versatile attacking player who should be able to slot into multiple roles in Smyrniotis’ lineup.
Despite only playing 76 total CPL matches, Babouli is ninth all-time in regular season goals+assists, eighth in chances created, first in through balls and seventh in dribbles completed.
“We’re excited to have Mo back at Forge FC,” said Smyrniotis. “He’s a fantastic player who knows what it takes to succeed here, and we’re confident he’ll make a big impact again.”
Prior to signing in the Canadian Premier League in 2020, Babouli was a familiar face in Canadian soccer from his time at Toronto FC, where he played 16 Major League Soccer matches after making his way up from the club’s reserve sides. Babouli has also played abroad for Al-Ittihad in the Syrian Premier League as well as in Qatar with Muaither FC, and has experience playing in Smyrniotis’ Sigma FC system in League1 Ontario.
Babouli, who was born in the United Arab Emirates but raised in the Greater Toronto Area, represents the Syrian national team, and has made three appearances for them, including in World Cup Qualifying against the U.A.E. and South Korea.
The 2025 off-season is proving to be a busy one for Forge, with Babouli being the third newcomer to the squad so far. He joins another former York United attacker in Brian Wright, who signed in Hamilton several weeks ago, as well as ex-Halifax Wanderers defender Dan Nimick, in the cast of new players coming to Hamilton.
Forge’s pre-season training camp continues in Cancún, Mexico as they prepare for their third venture into the Concacaf Champions Cup, looking for their first victory in the competition. With their new reinforcements fully integrated into the squad, they’ll be hoping to make an impact in this year’s tournament before turning their attention to the 2025 CPL campaign.
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