If Julian Altobelli wasn't a familiar name to CPL fans at the start of last season, he became one quickly.
Scoring a brace off the bench in his debut in Vancouver, Altobelli went on to set an Inter Toronto (formerly York United) club record for most goals in a season with 15 in all competitions.
Having now established himself as one of the league's most prolific scorers, Altobelli wants to prove he can do it again in 2026.
"For me, it's just being consistent," Altobelli told CPLSoccer.com. "I don't want to look too much in the past."
Luckily for Altobelli, the future of Inter Toronto appears incredibly bright. Under a new name, colours and badge this season, the club is looking to further establish itself in one of the top soccer cities in North America. They've demonstrated this vision by bolstering their already talented squad with multiple high-profile signings, both from the CPL's past and top leagues abroad.
Last month, the group spent 10 days together down in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, getting to bond on and off the pitch. The resounding feeling was that it was the start of something special.
"I think the team we have this year, personally, it's stronger than last year," said Altobelli. "We've added to all positions around the team, and I think it's going to be a great year for us."
One such example is 33-year-old Mexican international full-back Raúl López, who spent over a decade in Liga MX and won the Concacaf Champions Cup with Pachuca in 2016-17.
"The players who are coming in have loads of experience, I think it's great for the younger players and also the players who have been in the league for a while," said Altobelli. "I think having a guy like Raúl, who has over 300 games in Liga MX, to learn from him is something we all want to do. He's been there, he's won things, we aspire to get to that level and to win championships and to play as many games."
For Altobelli in particular, he is excited by the potential of an upgraded attacking unit. Inter Toronto made waves with their signings of former Forge FC star attacker Béni Badibanga and 2022 CPL Player of the Year Ollie Bassett. Both will add plenty of skill and creativity to Toronto's front line.
During his three seasons in Ottawa between 2022 and 2024, only two players scored more goals than Bassett (22), and nobody created more chances (123).
"You see the quality that they have and the ability they have to play that final pass to me, or to create their own chance," said Altobelli. "It's going to be great to have them playing behind me, and also great for all the other forwards. I think these guys are going to be a headache in the league."
Last season, Inter Toronto built a strong competitive foundation. Despite finishing in the fifth and final playoff position, they proved to be one of the most difficult teams in the league to play against, one that was always up for a fight, with the talent to hurt opponents on the scoreboard too.
Evidence of that came in their playoff opener at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax. Twice trailing against the Wanderers, through the rain and thunder, they fought back and tied the match both times. Altobelli scored a late equalizer in the 86th minute, before scoring Inter Toronto's first kick during the decisive penalty shootout.
"That was one of the greatest moments I've had playing professionally," said Altobelli. "It was belief that we were able to go away at a tough place to play and win."
Their season ended a few days later against eventual finalists Cavalry, but it was the second straight year they have won a playoff match. This year, both player and club want to take the next step. Altobelli believes they have everything in place to do just that.
"I think we've added all the right tools to succeed," he said. "Whether it's more coaching staff, more physios, more players in each position. We've added everything, we've done everything as a club to achieve that. Now it comes down to us players really wanting it and having the ability to get it done. Personally, I think we do."
Inter Toronto will have to wait a little bit longer than most CPL clubs to kick off their 2026 season. But on April 11 when they welcome the Wanderers to York Lions Stadium, it will be the start of a new era — one full of ambition.
