'We're Galaxy, We shouldn't be here': Yoshida, Galaxy set new standard after disappointing season

CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy’s 2025 campaign concluded with a 2-1 victory over Minnesota United, but the dominant theme shared by the head coach and players alike was not celebration, but rather a laser focus on ensuring this team doesn't repeat the misfortunes from this season.

While the team’s form in the second half of the season provides reasons for optimism players and head coach Greg Vanney were unified in labeling this season as motivation to fuel their offseason.

“The start of the season was nothing like any of us wanted,” Vanney said. “We started to put some things together and started to find a little bit more cohesion, started to get some results along the way. Better finish. Everybody stuck together all the way to the last game, and we beat two playoff teams down the stretch, which is a nice statement for where we are.”

The Galaxy closed the year in 14th place in the Western Conference with a record of (7-18-9), avoiding The Wooden Spoon, an unofficial, symbolic award for the team that finishes last in the overall standings each season. 

The end of the year result is not satisfying enough for Maya Yoshida, who played his first season as a defending champion for the first time in his illustrious 22-year career.

“At least we didn't finish at the bottom. As I say, We're Galaxy. We shouldn't be here. So still not great result.”

Vanney was asked about positives to take away from this season and the final standing was not on the list.

“We are where we deserve to be because of how it all started out,” Vanney said. “Our standing is not… not one of them,” he added, when asked about positives, making it clear the final position was unacceptable.

Despite the dismal season in MLS, the Galaxy played their way to a third place finish during Leagues Cup, which automatically qualified LA for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, set to begin in early February.

Yoshida , who experienced the rigors of Concacaf Champions Cup action for the first time earlier in 2025, emphasized the need for the team to be sharp from the beginning of the year to handle the added demands.

“To be honest, it was really tough, tougher than I thought…midweek playing, flights, time difference, it’s a huge difference…We want to challenge again, we want to accomplish something. But, if we want to accomplish something we have to work hard and make many [sacrifices] like today.”

Yoshida added he would like “To make sure everybody [comes] back [in] really good condition and start well, because the seasons start really fast… individually, as a team, as a club, because we are Galaxy, Galaxy shouldn't be like this. Shouldn't be here where we are. Next season is big challenge. We're gonna bring back our club to where we should be.”

Despite the constant conceding of goals late in matches, the foundation for an LA Galaxy rebound was visible in the club’s performances over the second half of the schedule. 

“We felt like we had had some better performances than our results had probably warranted, but we were conceding goals in bad ways and unable to finish some chances. And that's not a winning formula,” Vanney said.

The Galaxy ended the year with three wins in their final four matches, including victories over two playoff-bound teams. Vanney noted the team “started to find a little bit more cohesion” after the halfway point, a sentiment echoed by the players.

A key reason for optimism is the anticipated return of midfielder Riqui Puig, whose absence due to an ACL injury was keenly felt. Both Vanney and forward Joseph Paintsil highlighted his importance as a catalyst for the entire attack.

“We lost a lot. We miss him,” Paintsil, the team’s Golden Boot winner with 10 goals, said of the Spanish midfielder. “Now it’s just me and Pec, if they know what we are capable of doing and they stop us, it’s really [difficult] for us to do what we have to do. But if we have Riqui on the ball it’s always a guy who always makes a great decision by giving assists.”

Next the Galaxy will begin to prepare for the 2026 MLS Season and the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. The Galaxy will host the 16-time Liga MX champions Club América for a friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sat. Nov. 15.