By Canadian Press

First Canada senior call-up a real homecoming for teenage defender Jamie Knight-Lebel

Oct 13, 2024 | 9:03 AM

TORONTO — Jamie Knight-Lebel’s first Canada senior call-up has proved to be a real homecoming.

Knight-Lebel was five when his family moved from Montreal to England, where he now plays his club football for Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City. Summoned by Canada coach Jesse Marsch, the 19-year-old defender found himself back in Montreal with the 38th-ranked Canadian men ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly in Toronto against No. 37 Panama.

“It’s a real coincidence that the camp (was) in Montreal,” Knight-Lebel said. “It makes it that more of a dream, in a sense, that my first call-up for the men’s national team is in Montreal where I was born — out of all the places (it could have been). I love the city.”

Knight-Lebel’s father, Isaak Pageot-Lebel, is from Quebec while his mother, Sarah Knight, hails from Wales. Their paths crossed in England — his mother was going to university and his father travelling. She eventually joined him in Canada and the couple spent 15 years on this side of the Atlantic before settling in Bristol.

“My accent changed pretty quick,” Knight-Lebel said with a smile.

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His time in Canada and father’s francophone roots left their mark. The young defender is fluent in English and French, which he uses to converse daily with his dad.

“No one believes it when I say I speak (French),” Knight-Lebel said. “And then (they) hear me talk and I’ve got the full Quebecer accent. It’s surprising (to them) because of how strong my English accent is.”

Knowing the family was headed to England, Knight-Lebel’s mother started him in soccer before the move.

Knight-Lebel played for local and regional sides in Bristol before he was scouted by Southampton when he was 12. He spent two years in Southampton’s youth system but was cut loose and returned home to join Bristol City.

“I’ve been there ever since. It’s been amazing,” he said.

Knight-Lebel rose through the ranks to captain the Bristol City under-21 side and train with the first team, which sits 16th in England’s second-tier Championship. He became a regular in the Robins’ matchday squad last season, making his debut off the bench last October in a 2-0 loss to Cardiff City in the Severnside derby.

“A dream come true,” he said.

He also saw action in an FA Cup fourth-round replay in February against Nottingham Forest, which the Premier League side won 5-3 on penalties, as well as one other league outing.

“I learned a lot from training every day with the first team and with the new manager, Liam Manning, coming in and all his staff, they’ve been really good with me,” Knight-Lebel said. “It was a good experience but I knew this season I wanted to go and play, which kind of prompted my loan move to Crewe.”

The six-foot-three centre back, who can also play fullback and wingback, has been seeing regular action at Crewe which plays in the fourth-tier League 2.

“Obviously having to meet a new group of lads and a new team, you never know really what to expect — especially as it’s my first loan (move) but they’ve been amazing with me,” he said.

“You’ve got some experienced players who are really good on and off the pitch,” he added. “But it was easy for me to fit in and feel welcome because all the lads are good people and good players. I’m playing regularly at the moment, which is why I’m on loan — to get as many matches as possible and to try to get Crewe reach promotion … It’s a new experience for me and I’m really enjoying it.”

While Crewe is a three-hour drive north of Bristol, Knight-Lebel’s family regularly takes in his matches with his father yet to miss a game — home or away.

Knight-Lebel, who signed a new three-year deal with Bristol City in March, has a January recall clause in his loan deal with Crewe.

“Jamie is a driven young player and a fantastic prospect for this club,” Manning said at the time. “The way he conducts himself in training is exceptional and I’m excited to see how he grows as a player.”

Canada Soccer learned about Knight-Lebel through his agent, and he made his debut in 2022 under Mauro Biello, playing three games at the CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship in Honduras.

“I’ve got to pinch myself sometimes,” Knight-Lebel said of wearing the Maple Leaf.

Thanks to his mother’s bloodlines, he has also received invitations from the Wales under-21 side.

“I can only change (international allegiance) once because I’ve played official games for the under-20s in Canada. So it’s a tough decision — to wait and be patient with Canada or to go to Wales,” he said.

“But obviously my preference has always been with Canada, so I never wanted to give that up. Everyone at Wales understands that. And they’ve been really good to me, to be fair … But I’m a lot more Canadian than I am Welsh. I’ve got a lot of family here and I speak French.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2024

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press