Sébastien Le Toux

PROFILE
A tall, hard-working striker with plenty of speed and a nose for goal, Sébastien Le Toux joined Whitecaps FC from Major League Soccer rivals Philadelphia Union in exchange for allocation money on Jan. 31, 2012. An MLS All-Star in 2010, the native of Mont-Saint-Aignan, France, has emerged as one of the premier strikers in the league, having started his MLS career with Pacific Northwest rivals Seattle Sounders FC in 2009. Le Toux also had spells with Seattle at the North American second division level and in his native France.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2012: Making his Whitecaps FC debut in the club’s season opener, Le Toux scored Vancouver’s first goal of the season in a 2-0 home win over Canadian arch-rivals and MLS expansion club Montreal Impact on Mar. 10. The Frenchman’s fourth-minute strike was the fastest first goal to open an MLS season in league history. The striker then scored the first goal during a 3-1 away defeat to San Jose Earthquakes on Apr. 7 before scoring a late consolation goal in the 3-1 home defeat to Sporting Kansas City on Apr. 18. Le Toux scored his first two goals in the Amway Canadian Championship, as Whitecaps FC won 3-1 at home to North American Soccer League side FC Edmonton in the second leg of their semifinal on May 9. Vancouver won the semifinal series 5-1 on aggregate. He then registered his first Whitecaps FC assist on Eric Hassli’s goal during a 4-1 away defeat to New England Revolution on May 12 before scoring a fine winning goal in a 1-0 home win over Colorado Rapids on June 16. 2011: Le Toux’s second season with Philadelphia saw the Frenchman lead the Union in goals and assists for a second straight season, as the Pennsylvania-based outfit reached the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in club history after finishing third in the Eastern Conference standings. For a second straight year, the striker was awarded the MLS Individual Fair Play Award after only committing 20 fouls all season. For a third straight year, Le Toux completed an MLS season without receiving a yellow or red card. He was the only Union player to start every MLS regular season and playoff match that season, with his performances earning him the league’s Player of the Month award for September. His 11 goals included three two-goal performances - a 2-2 draw versus FC Dallas (Aug. 13); a 4-4 draw versus New England Revolution (Sept. 7); and a 3-2 victory over D.C. United (Sept. 29). Le Toux scored his first and Philadelphia’s playoff goal in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals, as the Union fell 2-1 at home to Houston Dynamo on Oct. 30. Philadelphia lost 3-1 on aggregate to Houston in the two-leg playoff series. The Frenchman also started the Union’s play-in match in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, as Philadelphia were knocked out by MLS Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United 4-2 on penalties following a 2-2 extra-time draw away from home. He also started the Herbalife World Football Challenge friendly versus Spanish and European giants Real Madrid, as the Union suffered a 2-1 defeat in front of a crowd of 57,305 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on July 23. 2010: In Philadelphia’s inaugural season in MLS, Le Toux enjoyed a breakout year in the league after starting all but two of the Union’s regular season matches – this despite the Pennsylvania club missing the MLS Cup Playoffs following a seventh-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings. He became the first-ever Philadelphia player to be an MLS All-Star after the Frenchman was selected by LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena. Though not voted a member of the MLS All-Star First XI, Le Toux started the MLS All-Star Game versus Manchester United FC, as he played the first half of a 5-2 defeat to the English Premier League giants at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, on July 28. His 14 goals and 11 assists that season earned the striker a spot on the MLS Best XI after he set the highest combined total in the league that year. He also earned his first MLS Individual Fair Play Award after committing only 10 fouls and receiving no bookings. The striker was named MLS Player of the Week for Week Three after scoring a hat-trick in the Union’s 3-2 victory over Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Apr. 10. This included Philadelphia’s first-ever goal in MLS, with Le Toux also making an important contribution to the Union’s first-ever win in the league. He had a goal and two assists in 3-1 home win over former club Seattle Sounders FC on June 27 before claiming a goal and an assist in a 2-1 victory at home to Toronto FC on July 17. Le Toux won the MLS Goal of the Week in Week 18 for his bending strike in a 1-1 home draw versus Eastern Conference rivals New England Revolution on July 31. He scored the consolation goal in Philadelphia’s 2-1 away play-in match defeat to MLS Eastern Conference rivals New York Red Bulls in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Apr. 27 before striking the winner in a 1-0 friendly result over Scottish giants Celtic FC on July 14. Le Toux also appeared in the 1-0 friendly defeat to English Premier League giants Manchester United FC on July 21. 2009: The striker started his MLS career with expansion club Seattle Sounders FC, having been the club’s first-ever signing on May 8, 2008. Le Toux started just over half of his 28 appearances for Sigi Schmid’s side that season, with the forward assisting on the club’s first-ever goal in MLS, as he set up Fredy Montero for the match winner in a 3-0 home win over New York Red Bulls on Mar. 19. He then scored his first MLS goal during a 1-1 home draw versus LA Galaxy on May 10 before recording assists in a 2-1 home win over San Jose Earthquakes on June 13 and a 3-0 victory at home to Colorado Rapids on June 28. Sounders FC made the MLS Cup Playoffs in their inaugural year in the league - thus making Seattle the second MLS expansion club after the 1998 Chicago Fire to reach the postseason in their first season of play. Le Toux made substitute appearances in both legs of the Western Conference semifinal series versus Houston Dynamo on Oct. 29 and Nov. 8, with Seattle falling 1-0 on aggregate. The striker also scored three goals and registered five assists in Sounders FC’s run to their first Lamar Hunt US Open Cup title. This included two goals and two assists in a 4-1 play-in victory at home to MLS rivals Real Salt Lake on Apr. 28; the winner from the penalty spot in a 1-0 home win over Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City) in the quarterfinals on July 7; two assists in 2-1 semifinal win at home to Houston Dynamo on July 21; and an assist in Seattle’s 2-1 victory at D.C. United in the final on Sept. 2. Le Toux also appeared as a second-half substitute during a 2-1 friendly defeat at home to English Premier League giants Chelsea FC on July 18. The striker’s spell in Seattle ended on Nov. 25 when 2010 expansion club Philadelphia Union made him their fourth selection in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
2011-12: In Jan. 2012, Le Toux had a week-long training stint with English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers FC.

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUES FIRST DIVISION
2008: In his final season at the North American second division level, Le Toux was named to the United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1) Second Team after appearing in all 30 regular season matches for USL-1 club Seattle Sounders that season. The Frenchman’s 14 goals and 32 points ranked him second overall in the league, with six of those goals resulting as match winners. He also scored against Whitecaps FC on two occasions that season, claiming a goal and an assist in Seattle’s 2-0 away win over Vancouver on May 23 before scoring the opening goal in the Sounders’ 3-2 home defeat to the ‘Caps on Sept. 20. After finishing sixth in the USL-1 standings, Le Toux started both legs of Seattle’s USL-1 playoff quarterfinal versus Montreal Impact on Sept. 26 and 28, with Montreal winning the series 4-3 on aggregate. The striker also scored five goals in Seattle’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup run to the semifinals, having struck four goals in the Sounders’ 6-0 home win over amateur side Hollywood United FC in the second round on June 24. The Sounders missed out on the final that year after falling on penalties to USL-1 rivals Charleston Battery on Aug. 12. 2007: Following an unsuccessful trial with MLS club FC Dallas, Le Toux’s entry into North American professional soccer came when he signed for Seattle in USL-1 after being spotted at a combine held in conjunction with the 2006 MLS Cup in Frisco, Texas. He went on to have an outstanding first season with the Sounders, as he became the fourth Seattle player to win the USL-1 Most Valuable Player award and finish as joint top scorer in the league with 10 goals. He was also selected to the USL-1 All-League First Team. The Frenchman’s efforts helped the Sounders win the Commissioner's Cup as USL-1 regular season champions and earn the club’s second USL-1 championship title in three years in the playoffs. He appeared in all but four of Seattle’s 28 regular-season matches and started all five of the Sounders’ postseason matches - en route to the club’s fourth North American second division championship title. His first goal and assist in USL-1 came during a 2-2 draw at Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers on May 11. Le Toux then struck six match-winning goals in the regular season. This included a 1-0 away win over Whitecaps FC on July 12 and a hat-trick performance in a 4-0 home win over California Victory on Sept. 6. Le Toux was also the leading scorer in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with five goals. Seattle reached the semifinals that year before falling at home to MLS outfit FC Dallas after a 2-1 extra-time defeat on Sept. 4.

FRENCH LIGUE 2
2005-06: Prior to his move to North America, Le Toux played two seasons for FC Lorient-Bretagne Sud in France’s Ligue 2. In his second and final season with the Brittany-based outfit, the striker made three appearances in Nov. 2005, as Lorient earned promotion to France’s top-flight Ligue 1 after finishing third in the Ligue 2 standings. His only goal for ‘Les Merlus’ was a match-winner, as Lorient claimed a 1-0 away victory over Stade Brestois 29 on Nov. 14, 2005. 2004-05: Le Toux made his Ligue 2 debut on opening day, as Lorient suffered a 3-2 defeat at Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes on Aug. 6, 2004. The striker started 10 of his 12 appearances for Les Merlus that season, as the Brittany-based club finished 10th in the Ligue 2 standings.

YOUTH/AMATEUR
Before starting his professional career with FC Lorient-Bretagne Sud in his native France, Le Toux was a member of the youth set-up at Lorient’s Brittany rivals Stade Rennais FC.

PERSONAL
Born in Mont-Saint-Aignan in the Upper Normandy region of northern France, Le Toux grew up in the northwestern French city of Rennes, which is the capital of the region of Brittany. The striker’s parents are Marlene and Michel Le Toux, while he also has two brothers and a sister. On Aug. 5, 2010, Le Toux received a United States Permanent Resident Card (green card) after living in the country for several years.