” Life is beautiful. “It is with these words, both banal and so true, that Maxime Crépeau puts an end to the interview.
The Quebec goalkeeper knows that all is not always rosy. But after nine months of recovery, he has a smile on his face as he chats with the La Presse representative from the Los Angeles FC training center.
Last week, the 29-year-old jailer returned to starting action with the reserves team. This departure was synonymous with the first minutes of play since this famous injury to his right “damn leg”.
Recall that Maxime Crépeau had shown supreme selflessness in the final of the MLS Cup last November. To save a goal and ultimately allow his team to triumph, he mowed down a Philadelphia Union player outside his box in overtime. This action resulted in a broken leg and a one-way trip to the hospital. Crépeau then followed the festivities of the first LAFC title from a distance thanks to video calls.
The native of Greenfield Park was therefore on the sidelines for the World Cup which began a few days later. It was another tile on the head of whoever was to take part as a member of the Canadian team. It’s “a dream that was eclipsed in a split second,” he said, snapping his fingers.
Confined to his sofa, he then had to watch his LAFC teammates’ journey to the CONCACAF Champions League final on television.
In short, the road has been long and winding for Crépeau over the past few months. On the other hand, he has not been shy about using his example to raise awareness about mental health in recent weeks, an issue on which he is particularly vocal.
“Yes, it hasn’t always been easy. There have been ups and downs over the past nine months. I think this is a subject that is still too much in silence. »
In his case, he notes the unconditional support of his wife, Christina, who was with him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. “. “He showed me how to turn negative things into positives. So, it is certain and certain, whether internally or externally, you have to know how to reach out and then seek help. »
However, if it was more difficult at times during rehabilitation, today’s Maxime Crépeau has only one thing in sight: new heights to reach.
That’s his only goal: not only to pick up where he left off, but to push further than before. And Crépeau knows how to do it.
The first step is to not let that nasty injury affect him in any way. “In training at the moment, I keep my way of playing. Even if it’s tight, I’m still going. »
“The second you lose that gut feeling, you denaturalize your game. I just think that’s the way I play my position.” […] The day that I will no longer have that side, I will not play to the maximum of my potential, ”he explains.
The second step is to learn some lessons from the nine months spent away from the pitch. For him, it means not thinking too much and “just having fun” more than ever. Coupled with the ton of games he has been able to coolly watch and analyze during this time, Crépeau believes he can rise to the top again.
Now that he’s back, and said to be ‘100%’, all he has to do is regain his game form and a chance to shine to take over the starting role of one of the most powerful MLS teams.
And who knows? Maybe at the end of this season he can finally taste the joys of a championship and, this time, in person.
When it comes to the Canadian team, Crépeau is adamant: “The side I’m most proud of in my career is undoubtedly representing my country.” Before his injury, the Quebecer was the assistant of Milan Borjan, holder of the team. Except that Borjan, a teammate he is “very close to”, is 35 and retirement seems imminent, although the two friends haven’t talked about it. The number one goalkeeper position could therefore soon be available and Crépeau’s mission between now and the 2026 World Cup will be to prove himself as a worthy heir to the throne. He will have to compete with Dayne St. Clair, who played in the Gold Cup for Canada, Tom McGill and possibly Jonathan Sirois for the role. Nevertheless, he believes he is up to the challenge. “At some point he [Borjan] couldn’t be there with our selection and I had to take the role and put his shoes on. I loved doing it and I’m able to do it,” he says.
