'Cruz Azul was simply better in every aspect' - Vancouver Whitecaps manager Jesper Sørensen acknowledges La Máquina's dominance after 5–0 CONCACAF Champions Cup Final defeat

Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen was emotional and candid following his team’s 5–0 defeat to Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final on Sunday night, calling the loss “devastating” and admitting his side was thoroughly outplayed.

“Cruz Azul was simply better in every aspect,” Sørensen said.“We came in with hope and ambition, but we’re leaving devastated.”

The Danish manager began by congratulating Cruz Azul and praising the atmosphere at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. “They played with confidence and personality, backed by their fans. We couldn’t stay calm in key moments,” he explained. “They struck early, twice, and that really hurt us. We never quite found our rhythm after that.”

Cruz Azul, led by Uruguayan manager Vicente Sánchez, delivered one of the most dominant performances in tournament final history, claiming their seventh international title and further cementing their legacy as one of CONCACAF’s giants.

From the opening whistle, La Máquina dictated the match - controlling possession, pressing aggressively, and finishing with ruthless precision. The Whitecaps, despite entering as one of MLS’s top teams, were overwhelmed from start to finish.

Despite the blow, Sørensen emphasized the importance of moving forward: “We’re halfway through our season. It’ll be tough to process this, but we have to bounce back.”

He also downplayed any talk of missing players or transfer market distractions as a factor behind the result. For example, U.S. international Sebastian Berhalter couldn't play in the match due to card accumulation.

“Today was about the teams, not about who was missing or coming in. Yes, Sebastián [Berhalter] has been excellent for us, and we’d have loved to have him, but he wasn’t available. We knew that. It’s not something to dwell on.”

The Whitecaps missed out on a historic opportunity to become the first Canadian club to lift the CONCACAF trophy and book a place at the 2029 Club World Cup and 2025 Intercontinental Cup. Instead, they’ll return to league play still leading the Western Conference, but carrying a bitter lesson.

“You always have to learn from a match like this - no matter the result,” Sørensen concluded. “And that’s exactly what we’ll try to do.”

Sørensen’s team will need to bounce back quickly from this heavy defeat, as they visit the Seattle Sounders next Sunday. Despite the setback, the Whitecaps remain atop the Western Conference with 32 points and two games in hand.