The Vancouver Whitecaps: Canada’s elite going strong

The Vancouver Whitecaps are enjoying an incredible season and comfortably look like the strongest team in not just the MLS but in North America at the moment, so how did they get here and what do this season’s hopes hold for the Caps? 

In 2009, an ownership group led by Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and Steve Nash was granted the 17th MLS franchise by league commissioner Don Garber. 

They began in the Western Conference on 19th March 2011, beating fellow Canadian side Toronto FC 4-2; the team would go on to finish 9th in the West, missing out on the playoffs. 

In 2012, they became the first side from Canada to reach the playoffs in Major League Soccer, however they were to be eliminated at the first hurdle, losing 2-1 to eventual MLS Cup Champions, LA Galaxy.

Across 15 seasons in the league, the Caps have made the playoffs seven times with the furthest they’ve made it being the Conference semifinals in 2015 and 2017. They have also won four Canadian Championships including the last three (2022-2024).

Last season - 2024 

2024 for the Vancouver Whitecaps was a decent season overall but one where they could’ve taken that next step if they went out and got a third designated player.

They made the CONCACAF Champions Cup again by winning the Canadian Championship but were comfortably dealt with by Liga MX side UANL Tigres, losing 4-1 on aggregate. 

In the Leagues Cup, the Whitecaps were taken down by another side from Mexico, this time losing in the last 32 to UNAM Pumas 2-0. 

Their league form brought spells of very good and then extremely horrific form. After two defeats in their first eight games of the regular season, Vancouver failed to win any of their next six games before going on a brilliant streak and losing only four of their next 16 regular season fixtures, putting them in a good position for the playoffs. 

However, they went winless in their final seven regular season games including losing all of the last four, ultimately destroying any sort of momentum or confidence they had previously. 

Into the Wildcard game and not many gave them a chance on the road against Portland, however Scotsman Ryan Gauld had other ideas as they smashed the Timbers 5-0 to set up a trip to 2022 MLS Cup Champions, LAFC. The Whitecaps would eventually lose in a game three decider to LAFC 1-0. 

Despite making it into the playoffs, coach Vanni Sartini was let go although it was clear to see that he could manage great talent, it was not having enough talent that was the issue.

2025 for the Whitecaps - how has Jesper Sørensen managed to take this team to another level?

For the 2025 season, the Whitecaps chose to appoint Dane Jesper Sørensen to lead the team into a new era after four seasons with Sartini. 

Heading into 2025, expectations were much lower because of the fact that the ownership group had announced plans for a sale of the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Despite all of the noise coming from off the pitch, the Canadian side have made an incredible start to the MLS season and achieved something not seen since the Galaxy in 2010, amassing 26 points from their opening 10 games while also becoming just the seventh MLS team to score 12 points in their opening four matches.

So how has Sørensen managed to get the best out of this team?

What’s helped Sørensen massively is being able to get the best out of players who helped their run to the playoffs last season such as Brian White and Pedro Vite despite losing two high profile players in Stuart Armstrong to Sheffield Wednesday and Fafa Picault to Inter Miami. 

Vite has been the standout for the Caps so far with 7 G/A in his first eight games. 

What made up for the loss of Picault and Armstrong was the signing of Canadian Jayden Nelson from Norwegian side Rosenborg BK. The winger has 6 G/A in just seven games this season. 

Though Nelson has been out with a hamstring issue the last few games, that has seen the emergence of Sebastian Berhalter. His XA of 0.36 is double what is what last season, already showing that under Sørensen there’s been a massive improvement in output. 

Another was the permanent signing of Mexican striker, Daniel Rios. However his role changed to how it had been under Sartini as under the new coach, he was established as a second striker behind White. This has meant his assists contributions are currently at a higher rate than any time in his career.

XG - 2025 (0.63) 

XG - Career average (0.44) 

XA - 2025 (0.36) 

XA - Career average (0.12)

These changes have allowed the Whitecaps to still get the best out of each player despite not having their best player Ryan Gauld for a long period of this season.

CONCACAF Champions Cup - A Cinderella Story 

The best finish at the Champions Cup (or CONCACAF Champions League as it was known then) for the Whitecaps was the 2016-17 semi finals where they lost 4-1 to UANL Tigres. 

However as they went on this season, you could tell that something was different.

The feeling of a fairytale ending was very much alive.

In Round One, two late goals from White helped to avoid a massive shock against Costa Rica side Deportivo Saprissa.

The Round of 16 saw another Mexican standoff, this time against Sergio Ramos’ Monterrey, the Caps winning on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate score. 

The fairytale also brought an aspect of a revenge tour as Vancouver made it through the quarters on away goals again, also drawing 3-3 on aggregate once again, thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Tristan Blackman. 

The semis was to bring the biggest test against the big boys of America, facing Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. The Supporters Shield record breakers were looking to add a CONCACAF Champions League to the Shield and a Leagues Cup. 

However not even the heat of this star-studded Miami side could put the fairytale on hold. The Whitecaps pulled a sensational 2-0 home victory off in the first leg before winning 3-1 in Ft Lauderdale to secure a date with destiny on June 1st vs Cruz Azul. 

For a side that didn’t know if anything was possible before the season began, it became a question of whether or not it was to be a fairytale ending, and ultimately, it wasn’t. 

Truthfully the Canadian side were swept aside, thumped 5-0 by Cruz Azul, but it doesn't change the significance of their journey. A year that started as a potential disaster tour quickly became one of the most exciting seasons in Whitecaps history.