Montrealers are known to be international go-getters—whether it be through academics, sports, or the arts. From Leonard Cohen to Georges Saint-Pierre, the city has a variety of talented individuals to showcase to the world, even in the world of pro sports. The Tribune sat down with Montrealer Noah Eisenberg, a pro soccer player who has been competing in top European Leagues since 2018.

Apart from being a pro athlete, Eisenberg has recently entered the area of sports entrepreneurship where his platform FINDME connects soccer scouts across North America with talented youth in Montreal.

“[Soccer showcase platforms] are a massive business in the United States, but in Canada they have only touched the surface, ” said Eisenberg. “My platform was not just a random game where coaches watch and leave. It was more of a camp setting, there was an actual intimacy between coaches and players.” 

For the successful launch of the FINDME showcase, Eisenberg leveraged his networks in the worlds of pro and college soccer. The platform included scouts from teams in the United Soccer League (USL) and CPL. Teams such as Toronto FC, Detroit City, Halifax Wanderers, and over 20 Division I schools such as Harvard, Dartmouth, and Stetson were part of Eisenberg’s showcase. In the coming months, Eisenberg plans to host showcases in the city for women soccer players interested in competing in pro soccer leagues across North America and Europe.

Eisenberg believes that aspiring young Canadian soccer players of all genders should get equal opportunity in showcasing their talent to play in the pro sports world. He recommends discipline, training hard, and being realistic about one’s goals. 

As for Eisenberg, the central attacking midfielder is yet again starting down a new path on his European soccer journey. The 24-year-old Canadian, known for his ball control and positional play, has continued in the first division of the Gibraltar League, moving from Europa Point FC to College 1975 FC in the January 2022 transfer window.

But the transition to College 1975 FC, a superior club in the domestic league, was not a smooth one. During the 2021-22 season, College 1975 FC hired a Spanish-speaking manager and the language barrier made it difficult for Eisenberg to communicate his thoughts as a player.

As a result, Eisenberg felt he didn’t organically fit in the first team of the club and struggled to communicate his presence in training sessions in order to get selected for domestic league matches. 

However, given the challenging training environment at College Point FC, Eisenberg sees his stint in the club as a valuable learning experience that improved his abilities as a player. The coach valued him, and as result he learnt a lot in the training sessions.

One of Eisenberg’s favourite memories in the Gibraltar League is the encouragement and motivation he received from his former coach in Europa Point FC. 

“The [coach] gave me an amazing evaluation letter,” said Eisenberg. “He was the ex-manager of Real Madrid’s reserves. [It feels really good] when someone of that calibre values me as a player and rates me and tells me I am doing something right.”

Eisenberg plans to build on the lessons learned in the Gibraltar League, and wants to remain in Europe unless a rewarding opportunity presents itself in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) or Major League Soccer. Currently a free agent, he is exploring options in Israel, Ireland, and Malta to continue this adventure in European soccer.

In order to evolve as a player and stand a chance of being selected for the Canadian Men’s National Team, Eisenberg acknowledges the need to further his own exposure to different styles of play in European soccer. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding immigration due to COVID-19 has complicated his plans, but he hopes to navigate these obstacles with cautious optimism.