Joel Waterman

Joel Waterman is a dependable Canadian centre-back who spent five seasons at CF Montréal — where he became a consistent MLS performer — before moving to Chicago Fire in 2025. His path to the national team was unconventional, coming through Canadian lower leagues and the USL before establishing himself in MLS, which gives him a grounded, no-nonsense quality in the defensive line. He is not a ball-playing centre-back in the modern mould but brings physicality, aerial ability, and positional reliability. For Canada, he offers experienced cover and competition in a defensive unit that has genuine quality at the top end.