LAFC has appointed Marc Dos Santos as the third head coach in club history. Dos Santos has served as assistant coach for the past four seasons, helping lead the club to three major trophies: 2022 MLS Cup, 2022 Supporters’ Shield, and 2024 U.S. Open Cup.
A member of the inaugural LAFC coaching staff in 2018, Dos Santos, 48, brings nearly two decades of coaching experience at both the professional and youth levels, including time in Brazil, Canada, and the United States. He earned the prestigious UEFA Pro License in September 2022 while serving as assistant coach for LAFC.
“We are thrilled to announce Marc as the third head coach in LAFC history,” said LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington. “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. 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. His relationships, clarity of ideas, and passion for LAFC make him uniquely positioned to elevate what we already do well and push us toward our full potential. We are excited for this next chapter under Marc’s leadership as we continue our pursuit of excellence.”
A native of Montréal, Québec, Dos Santos returned to Los Angeles in 2022 after previously serving as head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps for over two seasons, where he compiled a 22W-37L-18D record. Throughout his professional career as a head coach in North America, he has amassed a record of 146W-118L-88D overall.
“I’m honored to step into the role of head coach at LAFC,” said Dos Santos. “This is a special club – you feel it the moment you step into the training facility or stadium, when you meet the people who work here, and when you see the passion of everyone involved. The ambition here is clear in the way we approach each day and in the standards we set for ourselves. 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.”
Prior to his move to MLS, Dos Santos was named the North American Soccer League (NASL) Coach of the Year in both 2015 and 2017 and led the San Francisco Deltas to the 2017 NASL Championship. In 2016, he won the USL Western Conference Championship with the Swope Park Rangers, and he has also had success across multiple coaching stops in Canada, including with Trois-Rivières Attak FC (2007 Open Canada Cup Champions, 2008 Canadian Soccer League Division and Regular Season Champions), Montréal Impact (2009 USL First Division Champions), and Ottawa Fury FC (2015 NASL Fall Season Champions).
“As an ownership group, we believe Marc is the right person to lead LAFC to new heights,” said LAFC Lead Managing Owner Bennett Rosenthal. “Marc has long been a part of LAFC’s amazing culture, and his presence provides all the positives of that continuity. He also brings fresh ideas and new approaches that will continue to elevate the Black & Gold standard. Marc’s qualities as a person and a coach stood out to us when evaluating who would be our next coach. Our expectations for this club – on and off the pitch – have always been ambitious, and we know our supporters in Los Angeles and around the world share those ambitions. We have a talented roster, with many core pieces in place, and we are confident that Marc possesses the qualities needed to bring out the best in this group and deliver a level of performance that the entire fanbase will be proud of.”
Dos Santos spent 2012-2013 in Brazil, where he coached FC Primeira Camisa (U-20) and SE Palmeiras (U-15), winning a Copa do Brasil U-15 championship with Palmeiras. He also served as technical director for Desportivo Brasil.
