PLAYER PROFILE โ Julian Altobelli was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on November 4, 2002. The Canadian is of Italian descent, with both grandparents born in Italy.
Julian Altobelli: An Essential Inter Toronto FC Player
Childhood
Altobelli was born in Toronto and brought up in Bolton, Ontario. In fact, he started playing soccer at three years old with the Bolton Wanderers. He was a fan of well-renowned soccer teams such as FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, and local sports teams in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), such as the Toronto FC, Blue Jays, Maple Leafs, and the Raptors.
His favourite role models growing up included Eden Hazard, Lionel Messi, DeMar DeRozan, Sudney Crosby, Steph Curty, LeBron James, and Jose Bautista according to the Canada Soccer website.
Altobelli grew up in Vaughan, Ontario. He played with local teams in Vaughan and Woodbridge before joining with Toronto FC Academy at age 11 and was part of the academyโs under-19 side.
However, what might be most interesting about Altobelli is how he made it the Canadian Premier League (CPL). This is what he said as sourced by the admin of the CanPL.ca website:
This is how Altobelliโs career started for Inter Toronto FC and is a big reason why he made the York9 FC team (now called Inter Toronto FC).
York9 FC (2020)
At the time, Altobelli lived five minutes away from the venue, York Lions Stadium. During that period, the under-21 rule was in place. This meant at least three Canadians under the age of 21 should be on a CPL team, with those players combining for a minimum of 1,000 minutes according to the Canadian Press.
Before going to York9 FC, Altobelli played for the Toronto FC Academy Under-19 team. This is what he said about playing there according to the Canadian Press article:
โIโm very thankful for my time at TFC,โ he said. โI feel it was the right decision for me (to sign with York). Iโm excited to get started with York 9.โ
Unfortunately, Altobelli would never play a game for York9 FC. Still, being signed at only 17 years old shows the promise he has.
Toronto FC II (2021-24)
Altobelli gradually got better each year while playing for Toronto FC II. He made his debut against FC Tucson on June 19, 2021, against Fort Lauderdale CF.
He had two goals and dished out one assist in 2021. This would gradually increase over time, as he had five goals and four assists in 2022 and then had ten goals and six assists in 71 appearances in 2023.
This is what Toronto FC II head coach, Gianni Cimini, said about Altobelli after extending his contract with Toronto FC II according to the Toronto FC Communications website:
โAltobelliโs technical ability in and around the goal will offer a threat to the opposition in the final third,โ added Cimini. โHe has a natural ability to find dangerous positions in build-ups and many of our attacks will start through him. He also enters his fourth season with TFC II, and we are looking for a big year, in terms of production, from Julian this year.โ
Altobelli had a breakout year in 2024. This included scoring goals in nine straight games in the MLS Next Pro season, becoming only the second player in the league to accomplish that. He even earned time on the bench for some Toronto FC games, but he never played.
Inter Toronto FC (2025-Present; was called York United FC for 2025)
Altobelli has returned to his first-ever professional soccer club, Inter Toronto FC, the rebranded team name of York9 FC (and later York United FC).
When he first came to the club in 2025, this is what the president of the club, Ricardo Pasquel, said about him:
โJulian is the latest jigsaw piece and another important one,โ he says. โWe were watching him closely throughout last season and are well aware of his ability. He offers so much in the final third. Heโs smart, polished and is always looking to create something.โ
One of Altobelliโs most memorable games was probably one of his first games. He scored a brace and gave his team three points against Vancouver FC on April 6, 2025.
Altobelli also talked about the goal he scored against the HFX (Halifax) Wanderers FC, scoring two goals (Source: CBC Sportsโ Mackenzie Barwell on May 5, 2026):
โGreat feeling, great feeling. As a forward, you need confidence. So, to play that first game and score two goals, there is no better feeling.โ
He is a player that York United FC/Inter Toronto FC will need to depend on as they look to make a push to make the playoffs, as they have an outside shot at making it.
READ MORE: Zoe Burns: The AFC Toronto Defender with Canadian Heritage
Games Coming Up
READ MORE: Lauren Rowe: AFC Torontoโs 2026 Leading Goalscorer
Inter Toronto FC plays its final home game of the year on October 25 at York Lions Stadium. They will host Atlรฉtico Ottawa, who have secured the third-place playoff spot. The game kicks off at 4:00 pm ET (1:00 pm PT), and it will be shown live on OneSoccer.
Photo Credit: Michael Chisholm/Canadian Premier League, April 11, 2026, of a Julian Altobelli Headshot.