Vivianne Bessette
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | June 23, 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Cowansville, Quebec, Canada[1] | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Tampa Bay Sun FC | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2018–2020 | Montverde Academy | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | South Florida Bulls | 64 | (6) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024– | Tampa Bay Sun FC | 44 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | Bulgaria U-17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2020 | Bulgaria U-19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Canada U-20 | 3 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:18, April 2, 2026 (UTC) | |||
Vivianne Bessette (born June 23, 2002) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Tampa Bay Sun FC in the USL Super League. She has represented Canada at the under-20 level, and previously played in the youth international system for Bulgaria.
Bessette comes from an athletic family and began playing soccer at age nine.[2] Her mother, Daniela, was born in Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria.[3] She later attended Montverde Academy in Florida (through the Montverde International Futbol Club) for two years. During her time there she helped the team win a state championship and was ranked among the top high-school girls’ players in the U.S. at the time.[4]
College career
Bessette attended the University of South Florida (USF), joining the women's soccer program in 2020. In her freshman year she was selected as the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Rookie of the Week after a season-opening performance that included a goal and an assist, while also contributing defensively in a shutout.[5] Over her collegiate career, Bessette earned multiple conference honours, including All-AAC First Team selections and All-Region recognitions.[6][7]
Club career
On April 29, 2024, Tampa Bay Sun FC announced the signing of Bessette ahead of the team's inaugural season in the USL Super League.[8] In the 2024–25 season, she appeared in 30 matches for the club, establishing herself as a key defensive presence with statistics such as 128 clearances, 36 interceptions, 22 tackles won and 21 blocks.[6] For her performances, she was named to the USL Super League Team of the Month for November 2024 and March 2025.[9][10]
International career
Initially representing Bulgaria at youth levels, Bessette switched allegiance to Canada and was named to the Canadian U-20 national team for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022.[11]
Style of play
Bessette plays primarily as a centre-back and is noted for her tactical awareness, aerial ability, and composure on the ball. Canadian Soccer Daily described her as “spatially intelligent and calm on the ball … vocal with teammates in front of her in the defensive line.”[3]
Personal life
Off the pitch, Bessette pursued a graduate degree in exercise science at the University of South Florida, with a concentration in strength and conditioning. She enjoys going to the beach and baking. She is multilingual, speaking three languages, and lists Christmas as her favourite holiday.[12]