“I feel fulfilled doing what I’ve done here:” Achiniotti-Jönsson elaborates on his CPL Designated Domestic Player status
There was so much to remember from that enchanting home opener, it’s easy to forget that Alex Achinioti-Jönsson salvaged two points from the trash heap and placed them squarely back in Forge’s account.
Almost lost in the chaos of added time—highlighted by the acrobatic brilliance of Hammers’ goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat,
a heavy Cavalry FC shot clanging off the post like a horseshoe, and a couple of glorious but missed Cavs’ chances—was Achinioti-Jönsson soaring, almost into the net himself, to head away Jesse Daley’s perfectly placed strike that was destined for the top-left corner.
With only his head staying behind the goal line, the Swedish native somehow steered the ball clear—if only temporarily—to preserve the 1-0 lead and deny Calgary, playing 11-vs-10, a point they felt was theirs.
“It was just instinct,” Achinioti-Jönsson said, almost matter-of-factly—unsurprising, given this wasn’t his first goal-line rescue in an impressive CPL career. “It was a good chance for them, a good header, and I thought, ‘Aw crap, it’s going over me.’
“I was glad to help our keeper. We talk about that a lot—trying to make their life easier—and I think our whole back unit does that. But it’s Jass who deserves the credit.”
Forge has retooled its backline, with Achinioti-Jönsson and Malik Owolabi-Belewu the only returnees from last year. Both were named last week among nine players in a new CPL category: the Domestic Player Designation. Inspired by the CFL’s “Nationalized American” rule, the new designation shifts international players who’ve been with their club for at least three full contract years from “international” to “domestic”—essentially, “Canadian.” Achinioti-Jönsson hails from southwest Sweden, near the Danish border, and Owolabi-Belewu is from London, England. Elimane Cissé is the third Forge player to qualify. Cavalry’s Tom Field and standout striker Tobias Warschewski are also among the nine.
These players no longer count against a team’s limit of seven non-Canadians on the master roster. However, they do count toward the required six Canadians on the pitch during a match.
It’s a progressive rule change—one that promotes roster continuity and readies the league for what appears to be an imminent expansion.
“It obviously helps,” said Forge Sporting Director and Head Coach Bobby Smyrniotis. “Alex is in his seventh year in this country, and from that perspective, he’s as Canadian as they come. He’s been a constant since Day One.”
And constant is right. Last season, Achinioti-Jönsson played every second of every league match—the only player in the league to do so. He added full minutes in three playoff matches, two Champions Cup games, and five national championship contests. The year before, he ended the season with five straight 90-minute appearances.
Across the past four full seasons, he’s featured in 134 of Forge’s 140 official matches—playing from kickoff to final whistle in the vast majority.
“I think it’s just who I am,” he says of his ironman streak. “Mentally, I hate not being there. Not being at training, not being in games. So yeah, you play hurt sometimes. You pick up little things over the years—especially on turf. It wears you down.”
While Saturday’s heroic goal-line clearance came from a mix of experience, geometry, and flexibility, many of his shot blocks are just pure grit. As a centre back, he faces burly strikers leaning on him like broncos, or nimble wingers darting past at full speed. Some attackers can strike the ball at nearly 100 km/h. He often looks like he’s been through MMA camp the first few days after a game. Yet come the next match, there he is—playing the full 90, clearing danger and keeping the sheet clean.
“A lot of my thinking outside the stadium is, ‘What can I do to feel better physically?’” he says. “A lot of my decisions off the pitch are based on that. Nutrition, rest, recovery. I do hot baths at home, foam rolling, agility work for an hour at night before I relax. It’s not something I want to do—it’s a drag—but I know it helps me stay on the field and avoid injuries. So as long as it works, I’ll do it.”
Turning 29 next week, Achinioti-Jönsson is one of those Forge players who feels older than he is—largely due to how long he’s been playing professionally. Growing up in Hittarp, Sweden’s closest municipality to Denmark, he was suiting up with grown men on the local sixth- or seventh-tier club by the age of 14.
“It wasn’t high-level, but at 14 I was playing with guys in their 30s, some of whom had played in the third or fourth division. It wasn’t an academy—it was physical. You’d get thrown around. You learn fast.”
That molded his physical style and deepened his love for defending, even though he started primarily as a midfielder. He turned pro with Helsingborgs just after his 18th birthday, spending four seasons there—three in Sweden’s top flight before the club was relegated. He had the chance to join a first-division side in 2018, but, as he put it, “they were the kind of team that bounced between promotion and relegation. I’d seen too many players stuck in that loop. I didn’t want to be one of them.”
His agent had mentioned a new league launching in Canada. Initially, Achinioti-Jönsson dismissed it—but eventually warmed to the idea, signing with Forge a few months before their 2019 debut.
“I got the opportunity I wanted, but the first few weeks were rough,” he admits. “Coming from an established pro setup to living in a hotel in Hamilton… the first month I saw highways, a Walmart, and parking lots. Eventually I started seeing more of the city and getting integrated.”
That integration went deeper than he expected. He met his fiancée, Brittany—a Canadian—while celebrating Forge’s 2019 championship in Hamilton.
“We met that night, and it’s worked out pretty well,” he says with a grin.
They’ll be married at the end of this season.
When Forge was hit by injuries, Achinioti-Jönsson shifted to centre back—and thrived. He was named the CPL’s Defender of the Year in 2022, the award’s inaugural season.
“Pretty good for a midfielder,” he joked at the time.
He was a finalist again last year, and a 2022 finalist for CPL Player of the Year. He remains the only Swede to be a finalist for any CPL award.
No player has appeared in more CPL matches than Achinioti-Jönsson. The only other non-Canadian in the top 10 is HFX Wanderers’ Andre Rampersad, who’s also been with his club since Day One.
CPL executive vice-president Costa Smyrniotis, brother of Forge’s coach, says the Domestic Player designation was inspired in part by players like Achinioti-Jönsson and Rampersad.
“We looked at guys who’ve been in the league from Day One,” he said. “If they commit long-term, maybe others from their countries will too. It shows Canada’s a great place to play, the league’s improving, and there’s opportunity here—for players and families.
“It’s about evaluating what we have, rewarding those who’ve helped build the league, and supporting the domestic development goal. These designated players add different kinds of experience and help raise the overall level. It complements our Canadian talent, not competes with it.”
It also gives fans continuity—familiar faces who are fixtures on and off the pitch. Inside the locker room, they’re living repositories of club history and culture.
The new designation resonates with Achinioti-Jönsson.
“It’s good for the team—opens up an international spot,” he says. “I’ve been here a long time, and it feels like a second home. Canada is built on immigration and diverse cultures trying to build something better. I hope I’m contributing to that.
“I felt welcome from Day One, and that’s Canada’s world view. I never thought I’d be here this long—three years, max. But there aren’t many places where you can really leave a legacy. You can make money somewhere for a year or two and disappear. Here, I feel like I’ll be remembered for what I’ve done. That matters.
“It’s not all about money. Not for me. I get it if it is for others.
“But for me, it’s about living a meaningful life. I feel fulfilled doing what I’ve done here—and having experiences like playing in Mexico and Central America. I don’t know if any other Swede has played in as many Central American countries as I have.
“It’s a special thing.”