Nicola Guerguinov
Former FC National Sofia U19s, current AS Laval Ligue 1 QC player. The coach Montreal parents request when they want their kid to learn how to think the game.
How you train with Nico
You don't book Nico one-on-one. Your child is coached by Nico inside Footie Elite's small-group training — a maximum of 6 players per coach, grouped by age and level, with confidence, friends, and fun first.
About Nico
Nico — Nicola Guerguinov — came up through FC National Sofia in Bulgaria, one of the country's top youth academies, finishing his junior career at the U19 elite level. He brought that European academy methodology to Quebec when he moved to Montreal, and now plays for AS Laval in Ligue 1 QC — the top tier of Quebec senior competition — while coaching at Footie Elite.
Most coaches retire from playing first, then start coaching. Nico doesn't. He's on a Quebec Division 1 pitch every week, which is why his sessions feel different — the tactical patterns he teaches kids on Tuesday are the patterns he's reading and executing in a real game on Saturday. Parents notice that the kids who train with Nico start watching games with a different eye within a few weeks.
Nico specializes in the 7-17 range, with particular strength in tactical development for older kids targeting CEGEP, U Sports, or NCAA pathways. His position-specific work for center backs and midfielders is the most-requested focus in his small-group sessions at Footie Elite. If your kid is at the "starting to think about competitive" stage and needs someone who can teach the small decisions that separate levels, Nico is the coach.
He coaches in English, French, and Bulgarian (the rare third one isn't a marketing line — it's actually useful for the handful of Bulgarian-speaking families who've found us).
Game IQ is a coachable skill, not a gift. I train kids to scan, to anticipate, and to make decisions before the ball arrives. Technique without thinking gets you to U10. Thinking gets you to CEGEP, university, and beyond.
Coaching specialties
- →Elite technical training
- →Tactical development & game IQ
- →Active professional player insight
Career highlights
Bulgarian Elite Youth (FC National Sofia U19s) · Current Ligue 1 QC player (AS Laval)
Age groups
- →Foundation Builder (7-9)
- →Growth & Development (10-12)
- →College Prep (13-17)
Meet the other founder-coaches
Former Bohemian FC U19s & NCAA player. Turns international experience into demanding, positive sessions kids actually look forward to.
Brazilian-developed, McGill Varsity, current CSMRO (Ligue 1 QC). Joga bonito energy plus patient coaching that builds confidence and technique.