VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Tuesday that the club has signed Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) defender Daniel Russo to an MLS short-term agreement for the TELUS Canadian Championship quarterfinal first leg at Valour FC. This marks the first time Russo has signed a short-term agreement with the club.
Russo, 23, joined WFC2 in April and has gone on to start four of his six appearances with the side, scoring once.
The Jackson, New Jersey native spent the 2024 season with fellow MLS NEXT Pro side Atlanta United 2. He made one start and two appearances for the Five Stripes.
Prior to making the move to Atlanta, Russo spent four seasons playing at the University of Notre Dame, playing the majority of his minutes as a winger. In his first season at Notre Dame, Russo made 13 appearances, including five starts, and had one goal and one assist. He continued to progress the following season, playing in 24 matches and tallying three goals as well as four assists.
His best scoring output of his collegiate career came in his junior year in 2022. He led the Irish in points (16) as well as goals scored (6) while playing in all 17 matches and tallied his first hat-trick of his career in a comeback win against Michigan. In his final season at Notre Dame, Russo played a career-high 1,444 minutes and found the back of the net four times, as Notre Dame advanced to the College Cup Final before falling 2-1 to Clemson University. Russo started every match of the team’s NCAA Tournament run and finished his Notre Dame career with 14 goals as well as 11 assists.
In his youth, Russo played his prep career at Jackson Memorial and was a member of the New York Red Bulls academy before heading to South Bend.
Daniel Russo
Position: Defender
Height: 5-11
Weight: 165 pounds
Date of Birth: March 24, 2002 in Jackson, New Jersey
Hometown: Jackson, New Jersey
Citizenship: United States
Status: Domestic
University: University of Notre Dame
Former Club: Atlanta United 2 (‘23-’24)
Youth Clubs: New York Red Bulls Academy
Whitecaps FC MLS short-term agreements:
1. Emiliano Brienza at Columbus Crew - February 26, 2022
2. Ali Ahmed at Austin FC - April 23, 2022
3. Vasco Fry at Austin FC - April 23, 2022
4. Max Anchor at Charlotte FC - May 22, 2022
5. Chris Lee vs. Minnesota United FC - July 8, 2022
6. Chris Lee at FC Cincinnati - July 13, 2022
7. Ali Ahmed vs. Houston Dynamo FC - August 5, 2022
8. Simon Becher vs. Houston Dynamo FC - August 5, 2022
9. Easton Ongaro at LA Galaxy - August 13, 2022
10. Simon Becher at Colorado Rapids - September 10, 2022
11. Vasco Fry at Real C.D. España and at LA Galaxy - March 15 to 18, 2023
12. Levonte Johnson at Real C.D. España and at LA Galaxy - March 15 to 18, 2023
13. Vasco Fry at Minnesota United FC - March 25, 2023
14. Levonte Johnson at York United FC - May 10, 2023
15. Levonte Johnson at Pacific FC and at St. Louis CITY SC - May 24 to 27, 2023
16. Levonte Johnson vs. CF Montréal - June 7, 2023
17. Giovanni Aguilar at Colorado Rapids - June 21, 2023
18. Giovanni Aguilar at LAFC - June 24, 2023
19. Giovanni Aguilar at Sporting Kansas City - July 1, 2023
20. Jeevan Badwal vs. Tigres UANL - February 7, 2024
21. Jay Herdman vs. Tigres UANL - February 7, 2024
22. Jay Herdman vs. Charlotte FC - March 2, 2024
23. Jay Herdman at Seattle Sounders FC - April 20, 2024
24. Cyprian Kachwele at Cavalry FC - May 7, 2024
25. Cyprian Kachwele at Colorado Rapids - May 15, 2024
26. Cyprian Kachwele vs. Cavalry FC - May 21, 2024
27. Jeevan Badwal at New England Revolution - June 15, 2024
28. Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau vs. St. Louis CITY SC - June 29, 2024
29. Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau at Minnesota United FC - July 3, 2024
30. Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau at CF Montréal - July 6, 2024
31. Jeevan Badwal at Pacific FC - July 10, 2024
32. Mihail Gherasimencov vs. Wrexham AFC - July 27, 2024
33. Finn Linder vs. Wrexham AFC - July 27, 2024
34. Buster Sjöberg vs. Wrexham AFC - July 27, 2024
35. Eliot Goldthorp vs. Wrexham AFC - July 27, 2024
36. Liam Mackenzie vs. Wrexham AFC - July 27, 2024
37. Malcolm Simmons vs. Wrexham AFC - July 27, 2024
38. Finn Linder vs. Club Tijuana - August 3, 2024
39. Eliot Goldthorp vs. Club Tijuana - August 3, 2024
40. Finn Linder vs. Pumas UNAM - August 7, 2024
41. Cyprian Kachwele at Austin FC - August 31, 2024
42. Jeevan Badwal vs. FC Dallas - September 7, 2024
43. Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau vs. FC Dallas - September 7, 2024
44. Liam Mackenzie at CF Monterrey and at FC Dallas - March 12 to 15, 2025
45. Liam Mackenzie vs. Chicago Fire FC - March 22, 2025
46. Mark O'Neill vs. Chicago Fire FC - March 22, 2025
47. Mark O'Neill vs. Pumas UNAM - April 2, 2025
48. Mark O'Neill vs. Colorado Rapids - April 5, 2025
49. Mark O'Neill vs. Pumas UNAM - April 9, 2025
50. Daniel Russo at Valour FC - May 20, 2025
