MONTREAL – The Canadian Soccer Association announced on Wednesday that Montreal Impact winger Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla has been named the 2016 U20 Men’s Player of the Year.
The 17-year-old winger signed with the Impact first team on October 20 ahead of the 2017 season, becoming the youngest player in club history to sign an MLS contract. He previously played 21 games in the USL with the reserve team, recording five goals and five assists.
In 2016, Tabla also took part in three camps with the U20 national team in England, Costa Rica and Honduras, recording one goal and one assist in five games.
“I’m really happy and proud to have won the Player of the Year title once again,” said Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla. “I want to thank my teammates at the club and in the national team for this season filled with emotions and learning experiences.”
The young Impact Academy product was named Canadian U17 Player of the Year in 2014 and the Quebec Soccer Federation Male Youth Player of Excellence in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Centre back Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, also from the Impact Academy, came in second in votes for the title.
