By The Canadian Press

No matter what position he plays, Richie Laryea a driving force for Toronto FC

Aug 31, 2025 | 9:47 AM

TORONTO — It took Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea under seven minutes to get under CF Montreal’s skin.

Laryea, a fullback/wingback deployed at centre back Saturday due to a spate of injuries, started upfield with the ball — only to be bodied and then pulled back by Montreal midfielder Hennadii Synchuk. As referee Drew Fischer blew the whistle, Laryea pushed the 19-year-old Ukrainian away, then delivered another shove for good measure.

That drew a crowd.

Four minutes later, Synchuk was in the book after grabbing Laryea again as he surged past him.

Soon after, Laryea bodied Olger Escobar to the ground after the Montreal attacker lost the ball on the edge of the Toronto penalty box. And then he leaned over Escobar, telling him to get up.

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There is more to Laryea’s game than mere sandpaper, however.

In the 38th minute, Laryea took a pass from Kobe Franklin just inside the Montreal half and headed north. The centre back danced past former teammate Matty Longstaff in the penalty box and sent in a cross that, fortunately for Montreal, was blocked by Efraín Morales.

Laryea can turn defence into attack.

While hamstring injuries have cut into Laryea’s playing time the last two seasons — he has seen action in just 12 regular-season games in each of 2024 and ’25 — he remains a key piece of the TFC puzzle.

Coach Robin Fraser has used him at fullback, wingback, centre back and midfielder.

“Wherever we need somebody, for whatever reason, he just goes there and he’s excelled in everything I’ve asked him to do,” Fraser said after Saturday’s 1-1 draw, which knocked Montreal out of playoff contention. “And I’ve asked him to do probably six or seven different things this year.

“I thought tonight he was outstanding. His ability to carry the ball and move the attack forward, especially out of centre back, I think is a really unique thing. I don’t really know many centre backs who could influence the game on the offensive end the way Richie was able to today.”

The only one that Fraser, a former two-time MLS Defender of the year, could think of was Canadian international Moise Bombito, who played for Fraser at Colorado before moving to Nice in France.

Toronto captain Jonathan Osorio, who scored the tying goal in the 89th minute Saturday, marvels at Laryea’s heart, grit and quality.

“It’s a honour (to play with him) … He is an unbelievable competitor. An unbelievable footballer,” he said. “He plays where he’s told to play and he does the job. I think a lot of people know how good he is but he deserves even more respect that he actually gets because that guy is a top-level player. And in these kind of games you want Richie Laryea on your team.”

With 65 caps for Canada, Laryea’s drive and leadership have also made him a favourite of Canada coach Jesse Marsch.

Now 30 and a father of two, Laryea is in his third stint with Toronto.

He left TFC for England’s Nottingham Forest in January 2022. The club was on a roll in the second-tier Championship at the time and Laryea saw limited action as a result. In all, he made just five appearances in six months with the Premier League-bound club before returning to Toronto that August on loan.

When the loan expired in the summer of 2023, he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps via another loan. Toronto brought him back for good in February 2024, buying him back from Forest.

Laryea has come a long way since Orlando City declined his contract option in November 2018. Out of a job with a baby on the way, Laryea’s future was uncertain.

Toronto called him into the 2019 pre-season as a trialist and Laryea earned a contract — at the not-so-princely sum of US$56,250 — and was converted to fullback from midfielder by then-coach Greg Vanney.

“It really helped me get to where I am today because I was forced to be uncomfortable,” Laryea said later of the positional switch. “Which is something not a lot of people, I think, in their career or their life are forced to do. So the fact that I was put into an uncomfortable position pretty early on in my career, I think it’s pretty good. Because now I know and I have a gauge on how far I can push myself if things are getting pretty tough for me — whether it be on the field or off the field.”

In June 2020, Toronto tore up that deal and rewarded him with an improved contract. His current deal pays him US$1.17 million this season.

Money well spent for TFC.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2025.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press