Thomas Müller and the Vancouver Whitecaps are back with a bang in 2026.
The MLS Cup 2025 runners-up have made an ideal start to the new season, defeating Canadian rival Toronto FC 3-0 to remain perfect in MLS.
“There’s a lot of turnover in terms every year, and every team has its own story,” head coach Jesper Sørensen said postgame.
“We will have to keep pushing, keep pushing our level, and send a message that if we play here later in the season, we think that we have a good chance.”
Canadian kingpins
The Whitecaps’ showdown with TFC was a highly anticipated one, with the announcement of Josh Sargent’s arrival in Toronto fuelling excitement for a group that already added Djordje Mihailovic and Walker Zimmerman in recent months.
In truth, Vancouver showed from the opening whistle that they’re still clearly the top dogs in Canada.
“It’s really special, it’s a Canadian clash,” said midfielder Jeevan Badwal.
“Beating another Canadian team, it means a lot to me and the players. A game like this, scoring three goals and allowing no goals, shows a lot. And it’s only the second game of the season, we’ve got a long way to go.”
A Müller penalty gave the Whitecaps the lead after 25 minutes. The German superstar added a second goal in the 37th minute, and Brian White further extended the advantage just before halftime.
Dominating every aspect from start to finish, Vancouver reaffirmed their credentials as a Western Conference contender.
“Today we got an early break, and you can see that it really gave energy to the team,” Sørensen said. “You can see that from the rest of the first half, and then in the second half we didn’t really find any rhythm.
"Our attacking play is finding more flow, and it’s a continuing process of seeing how we can create chances when you play up against different structures and different teams.”
Showtime Whitecaps
It was also a night where their individual stars shone brightly, particularly in the first half.
Reigning MLS Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon, fresh off signing a contract extension on Wednesday, was flawless at the back. Meanwhile, USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter also enjoyed a productive night in the midfield, continuing his strong form over the last 18 months.
But Müller and White stole the headlines as they scored their first goals of 2026.
Müller’s brace in particular was a statement that the 2014 FIFA World Cup-winner is still at the top of his game, and served to top off an excellent all-around performance.
“It’s similar to what he brought to the team last year,” White said of Müller. “He’s seen the game at the highest level, he’s achieved the biggest things he can achieve in the sport.
"So I think it’s all of us learning from him. He has so much leadership both on and off the field, so we’re all just trying to soak it up and follow his leadership.”
