MLS’s youngest coach and the twists of fate that shaped St. Louis City’s trophy push

St. Louis City head coach Yoann Damet, the youngest manager in MLS at age 36, has guided the club on a record-breaking 21-match unbeaten run across all competitions. Appointed in December 2025, Damet has led St. Louis to its first trophy opportunity with a spot in Wednesday night's U.S. Open Cup final against the Columbus Crew.

Damet's coaching journey included an initial entry ban to Canada in 2013 before he secured a role alongside mentor Wilfried Nancy in Montreal. Damet later assisted Nancy during trophy-winning seasons with Columbus before joining sporting director Corey Wray in St. Louis, where midseason additions like Carlo Holse and Rafa Navarro helped transform the squad into contenders.