SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego FC's record-setting inaugural season came to an end Saturday night with a 3-1 loss to Vancouver in the MLS Western Conference Final, but the expansion franchise is already looking ahead to what promises to be an even brighter future.
Head Coach Mikey Varas reflected on the disappointing finish after two days to process the defeat that ended the team's remarkable playoff run.
"I'll think about the first 11 minutes for a long time," Varas said in comments on Monday from team headquarters at the Sharp Healthcare Performance Center in El Cajon.
The coach believes his team played well after giving up two quick goals in the opening minutes, but it was simply too much to overcome against Vancouver.
While his first season at the helm is now over, Varas truly believes it's the beginning of something incredibly special for San Diego soccer.
"Something is developing here that is beyond sport. It's passion, it's compassion, it's love, it's care, it's competitiveness, and it's a reflection of the whole city," Varas said.
Players share their coach's optimism about the franchise's trajectory moving forward.
"The club is really well run, and they made really great decisions in who they appointed to all the positions. I think the future is really bright," midfielder Luca De La Torre said.
The SDFC practice fields are quiet right now, but that won't last very long. The Major League Soccer offseason is very short, with players set to report for year two on January 9.
Sporting Director Tyler Heaps acknowledged the demanding nature of building an expansion franchise from the ground up.
"From a personal standpoint, it's probably been the most challenging year of my life. I got married on December 28th, and I've probably seen my wife 20 times this year, which is really hard, and a huge challenge, and so I'm looking forward to being able to go see her for a little while, but this doesn't really stop. There's not really an offseason in this role," Heaps said.
With another season right around the corner and most players expected to return, Varas says SDFC will no longer be able to catch opponents off guard. However, they'll enjoy the massive benefit of 12 months of experience together as a unit.
"I'll take a year of training and going through the gauntlet with each other over the element of surprise," Varas said.
Defender Luca Bombino, who is one of the returning players, is excited about the emotional connection the team has built with the city.
"Emotionally, it'll be a fun one, because we know we have the entire city of San Diego behind us again and growing for another season," Bombino said.
The countdown to the 2026 season has officially begun for San Diego FC.
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