Former Whitecaps boss Marc Dos Santos appointed Los Angeles FC head coach

LOS ANGELES — Former Vancouver Whitecaps boss Marc Dos Santos has been named head coach of Los Angeles FC.

The 48-year-old from Montreal succeeds Steve Cherundolo, who announced in April that he was stepping down at the end of the Major League Soccer season. Cherundolo, who played his entire career in the Bundesliga with Hannover 96 and met his wife there, is moving the family to Germany.

Dos Santos has been an LAFC assistant coach since 2022, his second stint as an assistant.

“Marc understands as well as anyone what the best version of LAFC looks like — an entertaining, front-foot style of play grounded in ambition, intensity, and a collaborative culture that reflects who we are as a club,” LAFC co-president and GM John Thorrington said in a statement. “He has earned the trust and belief of all of our players.

“From our emerging young talents to our most experienced stars, the support for Marc’s appointment has been unanimous.”

Dos Santos coached his hometown Montreal Impact from 2009 to 2011. He spent the next two years in Brazil, coaching FC Primeira Camisa and SE Palmeiras youth teams and serving as technical director for Desportivo Brasil.

Returning to Canada, Dos Santos won coach of the year honours in the North American Soccer League (NASL), first with the Ottawa Fury and then the San Francisco Deltas.

Dos Santos was appointed Whitecaps coach in November 2018 after a season on the LAFC staff. He compiled a 22-37-18 record in Vancouver before being fired in August 2021 with the team sporting a 5-7-8 record.

“The ambition here is clear in the way we approach each day and in the standards we set for ourselves,” Dos Santos said. “My focus now is to build on the strong foundation and culture that’s already in place. I’m excited to take on the challenges ahead together with our players, staff, and supporters.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2025