The path to a professional career as a goalkeeper requires patience, and Ivan Pavela has no shortage of that.
Inter Toronto's 20-year-old shot stopper was with the club throughout the 2025 campaign, biding his time for when his number was called. Head coach Mauro Eustáquio required Pavela's services a few times, including the first two games of the season and a five-game stretch through June.
In his seven CPL appearances, Pavela backed Toronto (then York United) to three wins and two draws, also delivering a pair of clean sheets. He shut out Vancouver FC in his first professional appearance, starting the club's season off with a 2-0 victory out west. He was also between the posts for Toronto in both legs of the Canadian Championship quarter-final against Atlético Ottawa.
Pavela is a member of this year's Next Gen class, presented by Jones Deslauriers | Navacord, because of his confidence in the penalty area to claim balls in the air, and his sharp shot-stopping reflexes.
"We know that Ivan is part of this club, and the future of this club," Eustáquio said of Pavela back in June.
The Toronto native, now playing for his hometown club, has solid experience abroad, having played in Croatia with NK Dugopolje before returning to Canada. Prior to that, he spent time in the youth systems of Hungarian side Puskás Akadémia and Croatian outfits NK Lokomotiva and Hajduk Split.
He has also represented his country, playing a game for Canada's U-20 team in February 2024; he'd love to one day wear the gloves for the the senior national team.
Right now, though, Pavela is focused on Inter Toronto, where he'll be aiming to win the starting job in 2026.
