EL PASO, Texas – El Paso Locomotive FC announced on Tuesday the club had signed Haiti international Christiano François for the 2022 USL Championship season, pending league and federation approval. François comes to El Paso following an outstanding year with Miami FC where he helped lead the club to its first appearance in the USL Championship Playoffs.

“We identified Christiano [François] very early as someone we wanted to bring to El Paso,” said Head Coach and Technical Director, John Hutchinson. “His USL Championship record for goals and assists has been very good and his work rate away from the ball is exactly what need. He will add competition to an already competitive squad. We cannot wait to see what he brings to the team this season.”

François has featured prominently in the Championship over the past five seasons, and has recorded 31 goals and 32 assists in 129 regular-season appearances in the league overall. This past campaign, the 28-year-old recorded 11 goals and six assists for Miami as the side advanced to the postseason before falling to Louisville City FC in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Prior to joining Miami, François earned 2020 USL Championship All-League Second Team honors after notching six goals and seven assists for Reno 1868 FC in the abbreviated 2020 campaign, helping the side end the season with the best overall record in the regular season and a second Western Conference Semifinal appearance in club history.

François originally competed in the Championship in 2014 for the Richmond Kickers, on loan from D.C. United, but he returned to the league in 2017 with the Rochester Rhinos where he reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals with one goal and six assists in only 12 regular season matches. In 2018, he joined Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and recorded four goals and five assists in 32 matches before finding nine goals and seven assists in 35 matches with Ottaway Fury in 2019.

Aside from his extensive USL Championship career, François played two seasons in Portugal, playing for Vila Real and Felgueiras 1932, recording four goals over 40 appearances across the two teams. Additionally, François has been called to represent club and country with the Haitian National Team, making three appearances in his home country’s colors.