6 LA Galaxy players who were also members of the Vancouver Whitecaps | OneFootball

For the 29th time in the 30-year history of the league, the LA Galaxy will be playing on the 4th of July. This Friday, their opponent is one of the top teams in the MLS Western Conference.

As was the case last season, but the major difference is that the LA Galaxy are not in the same category this year. In 2024, both LA-based soccer clubs were vying for the West's top seed.

This season has been a bit of let down for LAFC and a historically disappointing one forthe reigning MLS Cup champs, the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Ahead of this Friday's meeting between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the LA Galaxy, let's take a look at a few of the names that have been etched in the history books for both franchises.

Galaxy v Revolution | Ezra Shaw/GettyImages

Winston Griffiths

Born in May Pen, Jamaica, this midfielder started in MLS with the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars (now the NY Red Bulls). However, Griffths scored his first career goal with the LA Galaxy in 2002.

This was his first and only season with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Yet, he earned the claim as an MLS Cup Champion that year having only played six times that year.

Griffiths played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2004. The former University of Rhode Island star appeared in 23 games for what would be his last season in the league. He scored twice that same year, too.

Joshua Hansen

Technically, the Phoenix, Arizona native entered the MLS with the Seattle Sounders. However, Hansen never appeared in a game for the team or the LA Galaxy.

After the 2015 MLS season, he joined the LA Galaxy a year later, in 2006. This was the season after the LA Galaxy won their second MLS Cup title.

Hansen briefly played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2007. Finally, he did take the field in eight games before leaving MLS altogether to become a member of the Puerto Rico Islanders.

John Jones II

This player had two stints with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The talented midfielder is also a California-born athlete.

Jones played in five games for the LA Galaxy in 1997 and was listed on their roster, again, in 1999. He bounced around four different soccer clubs before returning to the Galaxy.

It wasn't until the 2006 MLS season that Jones was listed on the Vancouver Whitecaps roster. Just like in 1999 for the LA Galaxy, he never took the field.

Ruiz saves the ball | Danny Moloshok/GettyImages

Ryan Suarez

One of the more notable and accomplished names on this list, the former San Jose State Spartan player was with the Dallas Burn to open up his MLS career.

He, then, joined the LA Galaxy for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Unfortuntely for Suarez, he joined the team and left the team in between the Galaxy's two championship seasons.

The skilled defender wrapped up his MLS career with the Vancouver Whitecaps. He played 11 games for them during the 2006 season.

Sheanon Williams

Just shy of six-feet tall, this defender began his MLS career with the Philadelphia Union. During the 2015 MLS season, Sheanon Williams became a member of the Houston Dynamo.

Following the 2016 season, the Boston, Massachusetts native joined the Vancouver Whitecaps. He played in 15 games for the Canadian-based team before switching to the LA Galaxy in 2018.

Williams only scored seven goals during his MLS career. All of those came with the Union.

However, he finished his career as a member of the Whitecaps and, then, the LA Galaxy.

Real Salt Lake v Los Angeles Galaxy | Jonathan Moore/GettyImages

Josh Wicks

This goalkeeper wore an LA Galaxy jersey during the 2008 MLS regular season. Wicks took the field eight different times.

That's half as many times as he did as a member of the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Landstuhl, West Germany native debuted in the league in 2005.

Following his brief stint with the LA Galaxy, Wicks ended his MLS career with D.C. United while playing 19 games in his final two seasons.

Friday will be the second and final meeting between two of Wicks' former teams. The LA Galaxy fell to the Vancouver Whitecaps, 2-1, in early March. This time the game will be played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.