The MLS Cup final occurred this past weekend, with Columbus Crew defeating Los Angeles Football Club 2-1 to lift the trophy, and there were a plenty of French and Ligue 1 connections in this contest.
Let's start with the winning side, Columbus. The Crew has defender Steven Moreira, who came up through the young ranks at Stade Rennais. Furthermore, he made his professional debut with Rennes and played there for three years.
Afterward, his career would take him to FC Lorient for three years and then to Toulouse FC for four years. Moreira would leave France to join Columbus in 2021. Another player with Ligue 1 ties, Yaw Yeboah, spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Lille OSC.
Meanwhile, the Crew's manager, Wilfried Nancy, hails from France, as the 46-year-old was born in Le Havre. Nancy began his managerial career with CF Montréal, where he coached the Canadian side for two seasons before moving to Columbus earlier this year.
Although he came out on the losing end, LAFC forward Denis Bouanga also has ties to France. The 29-year-old played for various French clubs in his career; more prominent were stints with FC Lorient and AS Saint-Étienne.
Bouanga's best years in France came while playing for Saint-Étienne for four years. He appeared in 110 matches in all competitions for the French club, scoring 28 goals and registering 16 assists during his time there. Afterward, Bouanga would leave Saint-Étienne in 2022 and sign with LAFC, winning last year’s title alongside the likes of Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini.
