It’s not the ending San Diego FC envisioned, yet there’s plenty for the expansion team to take pride in.

Understandably, that was the crux of head coach Mikey Varas’ post-game press conference after his side bowed out of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs in the Western Conference Final on Saturday night with a 3-1 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps FC .

“Nobody can take away this season that these guys did,” Varas said. “Nobody can ever take that away from them. And I think they made a city, made the whole region dream.

“We were one step away from MLS Cup, and 12 months ago, we were all introducing ourselves.”

Planting roots

Back in January, when SDFC gathered for preseason, pundits widely pegged the newcomers for a long and challenging inaugural season in MLS.

Those predictions were

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