Lucas Cavallini

PROFILE 

A prolific striker with close to a decade of experience in the Mexican and Uruguayan top leagues, Lucas Cavallini joined Whitecaps FC in December 2019 following a club record transfer fee. An important member of Canada’s resurgence on the international stage, the Ontario-born goal scorer is signed to a Designated Player contract through 2022 with an option for 2023. 

WHITECAPS FC

'21: Cavallini spent much of the season sidelined with a left knee injury, tallying three goals and one assist in 14 starts and 21 appearances. The Canadian international scored the first goal of the season on April 16 against Portland Timbers to give the ‘Caps an opening day victory for the first time since 2018 and led the team in aerials won with 67. Cavallini also made an appearance off the bench in the MLS Cup Playoffs against Sporting Kansas City.

'20: Cavallini was honoured with the Domenic Mobilio Golden Boot Award following his first MLS season after leading the 'Caps with six goals, including four game-winners, tied for second across MLS. He finished with 16 starts in 18 appearances in the shortened season, leading the team in shots and shots on goal while landing in the top 15 in MLS in aerials won. 

MEXICO 

’17-’18: Prior to his arrival in Vancouver, Cavallini spent three seasons with Liga MX side Club Puebla, initially on loan from Uruguayan Primera División side CA Peñarol in August 2017, then via transfer in July 2018. He scored 29 goals and eight assists in 81 appearances across all competitions for Los Camoteros. 

URUGUAY 

’12-’17: Cavallini tallied 44 goals and 11 assists in 125 appearances in the Uruguayan Primera División, playing six seasons in total as a member of Club Atlético Juventud, Club Nacional, CA Fénix, and CA Peñarol. He moved to Uruguay at age 17 to join Club Nacional’s youth development squads in 2009 and eventually earned a first-team contract in 2012. He made his professional debut while on loan to Juventud in 2012-13, recording 10 goals and one assist in 25 appearances. He returned to his parent club Nacional in 2013 to make four appearances, before moving to Fénix initially on loan in 2014, then via transfer in 2015, where we would 28 goals and nine assists in 78 appearances across all competitions for Albivioletas. Cavallini would join Peñarol in 2017, scoring six goals and one assist in 18 appearances across all competitions before to his move to Liga MX. 

INTERNATIONAL 

As of April 2021, Cavallini has 19 caps for the Canada MNT to his name, scoring 14 goals. He has a pair of hat trick performances for Canadan, coming versus Cuba the Concacaf Gold Cup in June 2019 and against Cayman Islands in the FIFA World Cup Qualifying in March 2021. Other highlights include a goal against Mexico at the 2019 Gold Cup and the insurance goal in their historic victory over the United States in the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League in October 2019. His first foray into international duty came in 2011 at a U-20 camp and the Concacaf U-20 Championship, tallying one goal in three appearances that year. In 2012, he would feature with the U-23 side at the Concacaf Olympic qualifiers, collecting a goal in three appearances. He made his senior debut in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago in August of the same year. Cavallini has featured for Canada in FIFA World Cup qualifying in 2012 and 2021, the 2017 and 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup tournaments, and the 2019-20 Concacaf National League competition among others.  

YOUTH 

Cavallini began playing football for Club Uruguay in Ontario at age three. He developed with the Clarkson Soccer club in his hometown of Mississauga, and it was during a tour of Uruguay with his youth club that led to a tryout with Club Nacional, eventually joining the Uruguayan Primera División side’s youth program in 2009.  

INTERESTING FACTS 

Cavallini’s nickname is El Tanque, which means The Tank in English. His father is originally from Argentina, and his mother is from Ontario. Cavallini was born in Toronto and raised in Mississauga. He has played with ‘Caps teammates Derek Cornelius, Maxime Crepeau, Tosaint Ricketts, and Russell Teibert on the Canada MNT.