.jpg) Gazdov in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (2003-09-11)September 11, 2003 (age 22) | ||
| Place of birth | North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | CF Montréal | ||
| Youth career | |||
| North Vancouver FC | |||
| Mountain United FC | |||
| 2017–2020 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | ||
| 2020–2022 | Pacific FC | ||
| 2020–2022 | →1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2025 | Pacific FC | 41 | (0) |
| 2025– | CF Montréal | 0 | (0) |
| 2025 | →Valour FC (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 27, 2025 | |||
Emil Gazdov (Bulgarian:Емил Газдов; born September 11, 2003) is a Canadian professionalsoccer player who plays as agoalkeeper forMajor League Soccer clubCF Montréal.
Gazdov began playing youth soccer with North Vancouver FC, before later joining Mountain United FC.[1] In August 2017, he joined theVancouver Whitecaps Residency Academy,[2][3] where he played for three years before leaving to sign a professional contract.[4][5] He later spent time with the U19 side of German club1. FC Nürnberg, after being loaned following signing his first professional contract withPacific FC.[6]
In March 2020, he began training withCanadian Premier League clubPacific FC.[7][8] On June 30, 2020, Gazdov signed his first professional contract withPacific FC of theCanadian Premier League.[9][10] After not appearing in any matchday squads in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season as the third-choice goalkeeper,[11] Gazdov was sent on a two-year loan in October to the U19 side of German club1. FC Nürnberg.[12][13] He returned to Pacific FC in 2022 to serve as the backup goalkeeper.[14][15][16] He made his professional debut on July 30, 2022, in a 2–1 victory overValour FC.[17] Following the departure ofCallum Irving following the 2022 season, Gazdov became the team's first choice goalkeeper ahead of the 2023 season.[18][19] In April 2023, he signed an additional two-year extension with the club, with a club option for 2026.[20][21] After beginning the season as the starting keeper, midway through the season, he became the backup, before soon regaining his spot as the starter.[22] On May 1, 2024, he was substitute into the2024 Canadian Championship first round match againstTSS FC Rovers just prior to the beginning of the penalty shootout, making two saves to help Pacific advance to the next round.[23] In 2024, he led the league with nine clean sheets.[24] At the end of the 2024 season, Gazdov was nominated for the Canadian Premier League's Best Canadian Under-21 Player and the Goalkeeper of the Year awards.[25][26] He ultimately won the Goalkeeper of the Year award.[27]
In February 2025, Gazdov transferred toCF Montréal inMajor League Soccer, signing a two year contract with club options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.[28]
In August 2025, he was sent on loan toValour FC of theCanadian Premier League for the remainder of 2025.[29] He made his debut for Valour on August 17, 2025, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw againstYork United FC.[30][31]
Gazdov is of Bulgarian descent.[32][33]
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Pacific FC | 2022 | Canadian Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 0 | ||||
| 2024 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 41 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 0 | ||
| CF Montréal | 2025 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Valour FC (loan) | 2025 | Canadian Premier League | 7 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 48 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 0 | ||||
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