The Vancouver Whitecaps: A Major MLS Surprise | OneFootball

The future of the Vancouver Whitecaps is a mystery, but one thing is for certain — they are going to make 2025 memorable. What’s the reason behind their success?

Major League Soccer is many things, but it certainly isn’t predictable. It’s a league where a last-place team can become the best overnight, or where the reigning MLS Cup winners find themselves winless through 10 matches due largely in part to salary cap restrictions.

That’s MLS in a nutshell: a league that thrives on instability when it comes to its storytelling. It’s the only way to explain how the Los Angeles Galaxy or LAFC have taken a back seat to… *checks notes*… the Vancouver Whitecaps.

MLS’ version of the “forgotten team” is in the middle of a rollercoaster. On one end, the team is up for sale with murmurs suggesting the Whitecaps could be sold to an American city. On the other, they are one of the best teams in the league — fresh off a week in which they defeated Inter Miami in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals and hammered Minnesota United 3-1 on the road.

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Leading the way is Danish head coach Jesper Sørensen in his first season with the club. Sørensen spent his entire playing and coaching career prior to Vancouver in his home nation, and his resume, while lengthy, doesn’t exactly scream MLS.

However, his direct yet possession-oriented style of play has translated perfectly to the league, and the Whitecaps have been high scoring, aggressive, and defensively sound — a particularly rare combination for MLS.

Through 10 games, Vancouver sits atop the MLS overall standings with 23 points, with an impressive 20 goals scored to seven conceded ratio. The resolute Whitecaps defense was best showcased when it contained Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the CCC. Miami struggled to break through the Whitecaps’ organized defensive blocks, a hallmark of Danish coaching philosophy.

Brian White: A Late Bloomer

Scoring the goals is none other than United States men’s national team bubble striker Brian White. With six goals in eight games, White is proving that at 29, he has plenty left to offer — especially considering the lackluster striker pool for the USMNT. According to Favian Renkel, who covers MLS for SBI Soccer, White is capitalizing on the momentum of being called up by Mauricio Pochettino.

“Brian White has always been one of the most underrated strikers in MLS, and this season he is finally leading the pack in goals scored,” Renkel said. “He’s doing it all without his co-captain and co-pilot Ryan Gauld and under a brand new coach. With the confidence he has and the form he’s in, he might just be a top-five USMNT prospect for [Pochettino] at the moment.”

Against Inter Miami, White was a handful with his pace and his ability to get under defenders’ skin. While a portion of USMNT fans dismiss his call-up because he plays in MLS, White has brought the dirty work often lacking in the USMNT’s more polished, counter-attacking forwards.

White’s season thus far merits a Gold Cup roster call-up, especially considering he offers something few on the national team currently possess — grit. With 60 goals in 166 games for the Whitecaps and 15 goals in 51 games during his New York Red Bulls days, White may have simply been overlooked due to playing for less glamorous MLS teams.

The Rise of Sebastian Berhalter

Equally impressive has been Sebastian Berhalter. The midfielder and son of former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter carries a last name that triggers mixed reactions among U.S. Soccer fans. But the 23-year-old has shown tremendous growth in Vancouver.

Against Inter Miami, Berhalter scored a stunning goal and could have had more. His pace and aggressive play turned heads.

“Berhalter has seen a huge jump in quality this season,” Renkel said. “The new system and coach allow players to truly showcase their talents.

“Berhalter does everything right. Growing up as the coach’s son, he learned to do all the little things. He’s a player’s player. And now, with his offensive game developing, he’s becoming a complete midfielder — someone who helps his team in every facet of the game. It’s definitely getting noticed by the rest of the world now.”

The Rest of the Cast

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Despite often flying under the radar, the Whitecaps have assembled an intriguing squad. Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka has been dependable. Ecuadorian midfielder Pedro Vite consistently contributes, and Paraguayan Andrés Cubas does much of the midfield’s dirty work.

So far, the Whitecaps have shocked everyone — and the biggest surprise may still be ahead. Leading Inter Miami 2-0 in the CCC semifinals, they could become a wrench in the gears of CONCACAF’s plans for a Messi and Co. final.

Whatever the future holds, the Whitecaps have become one of the most fascinating teams in MLS. They could move. They could be sold to a local investor. They might just eliminate Inter Miami from the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Oh — and they’re currently the best team in MLS, with two potential USMNT Gold Cup call-ups.

The Whitecaps have given MLS something unexpected this season — something the league is strangely great at delivering.