Supra du Quebec: The new top-flight Canadian club inspired by Athletic Bilbao

Placentino was raised in Montreal and played for Quebec’s other professional football team, Major League Soccer side CF Montreal, as well as having spells in Italy’s second and third divisions.

While Montreal throw their scouting net across the world to be competitive, FC Supra are focusing on local players who may have overlooked.

They want to give other players from Quebec the chance to try and emulate Canadian internationals such as Saussolo’s Ismael Kone and Nice’s Moise Bombito.

Bombito was born in Montreal, while Kone moved to the city from the Ivory Coast aged seven, and their journeys highlight the rich cultural mix and football obsession found in Quebec.

“The objective is to have a local pride program in the Canadian Premier League, a team that could furnish players that are local and multicultural,” said Placentino.

“I look at countries like Belgium and Iceland. If they’re able to build players and sell them worldwide to become phenom footballers, why can’t we do it in Quebec?

“A lot of players would fall through the cracks here and miss out on opportunities to shine and to be exposed at a higher level.

“All we need to do is take these ballers, put them in an environment that is very professional but also keeping that DNA of being street ballers.”

A unique touch showcasing Supra’s pride in their province is having the Quebec flag printed on their kits.

Paul Desbaillets, Supra’s chief branding officer, says the aim was to bring Quebec’s unique character to life.

“There’s always been a history of Quebec versus Canada,” he said.

“What makes us so proud exactly at this club is that here is more proof of why this province is so spectacular. We are a complete mix of French, Italian, British, Moroccan, Persian and Asian.

“It doesn’t matter what ethnicity. We’ve formed together around Supra first and that’s our melting pot of what Quebec is.”