Who are they?
The Whitecaps have a longer history than most MLS teams, there has been a team in Vancouver called the Whitecaps since 1974. When the old NASL folded in the 80's the team re-emerged as the Vancouver 86ers, before reverting to their historical name in 2001. The Whitecaps joined Major League Soccer in 2011 alongside the Portland Timbers as the league's 17th team.
What have they won?
They won the NASL Championship in 1979, The Canadian Soccer League Championship four times in the late 80's and early 90's and the USL First Division in the 2000's. Since joining MLS they've made the playoffs twice in four years, but not progressed past the knockout rounds.
What about the Disney Pro Soccer Classic.
Oh yeah, they won that too, in 2012.
Last year...
They finished 9th overall (5th in the Western Conference). The race with Portland in the final stages of the season for the last playoff spot was one of the more entertaining head-to-heads last year, with the Whitecaps winning four of their last five to beat out their Northwest rival. They did lose in the first round of the playoffs to FC Dallas however.
Are they any good?
They're pretty solid at the back, with only three teams conceding less than them last year, but they suffered from a lack of goals. So far this season they’ve won one and lost one.
Player to Watch?
Octavio Rivero, their new Young Designated Player has scored both their goals this season, so it's difficult to look beyond the young Uruguayan as the player to keep an eye on.
Who’s the boss?
The Head Coach is former Welsh International Carl Robinson. A veteran of the English leagues, Robinson finished his career in the MLS with Toronto FC and the Red Bulls before joining the Whitecaps as assistant coach in 2012. He was made Head Coach for the 2014 campaign after previous manager Martin Rennie was fired following a lacklustre 2013 season.
What about their supporters?
The Whitecaps sell out almost all of their home games. The capacity at BC Place is 21,000 and they averaged 20,408 last year. The largest supporter group is the Vancouver Southsiders named, imaginatively, after the end in which they congregate. The group has been in operation since 1999.
Who are their rivals?
The Whitecaps natural rivals are the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders. The supporters created the Cascadia Cup, a trophy which is awarded to the team with the best record in the season against their rivals. There’s also rivalries with fellow Canadian clubs Montreal Impact and Toronto.
