Snow, Spirit and an "Icicle Kick": Atlético Ottawa Crowned 2025 Canadian Premier League Champions
Published on November 10, 2025 under Canadian Premier League (CPL) News Release
Ottawa, ON - (Nov. 10, 2025) - In a season finale that embodied the heart and grit of Canadian soccer, Atlético Ottawa conquered the cold and the competition on Sunday night at a snow-swept TD Place, defeating Cavalry FC 2-1 after extra time of the 2025 CPL Final to win the 2025 North Star Cup, the club's first-ever Canadian Premier League (CPL) championship.
It was a night that felt quintessentially Canadian in the nation's capital, with snow falling thick and fast as 13,132 fans bundled in the stands to witness history in the making.
Atlético Ottawa midfielder David Rodríguez was the man of the moment amidst the snowbanks. His audacious overhead strike, quickly dubbed the "Icicle Kick," equalized the match in the 40 minute, after Cavalry's Fraser Aird opened the scoring by way of a penalty kick in the 33 minute.
And it was Rodriguez, finishing his first season with the club, who came up big once again for Atlético when the game demanded extra time. He delivered the game-winner, a chip finish in the 107 minute, to seal Ottawa's place in league history.
Rodríguez's heroics earned him the title of 2025 CPL Final MVP fuelled by Gatorade, as Head Coach Diego Mejia's side celebrated a championship that symbolized both Canadian resilience and the growing passion for the domestic game, while reflecting a league that welcomes and develops talent from around the world and celebrates them as part of our own Canadian soccer story.
It was a memorable night for Rodriguez, who had never seen snow before arriving in Ottawa from Mexico in February, after signing with Atlético.
"I came to the locker room and I was excited. I saw it was snowing and I was like, 'It's going to be a good day,'" said David Rodriguez, Midfielder, Atlético Ottawa.
The victory earned Atlético Ottawa the North Star Cup as League Champions and secured the club's first berth into the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where it will represent the Canadian Premier League alongside Forge FC and Vancouver FC on the continental stage.
Canadian Premier League Stories from November 10, 2025
- Atlético Ottawa Are the 2025 Canadian Premier League Champions - Atletico Ottawa
- Snow, Spirit and an "Icicle Kick": Atlético Ottawa Crowned 2025 Canadian Premier League Champions - CPL
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