Rising Star Rayan Elloumi Scores Again as Vancouver Whitecaps Dominate
Potential Tunisia national team prospect Rayan Elloumi continued his impressive rise in Major League Soccer on Sunday evening, netting his second goal of the season in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ commanding 4-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes.
The 18-year-old opened the scoring by getting on the end of a Sebastian Berhalter free kick, calmly finishing at the far post. German legend Thomas Müller then doubled the advantage early in the second half before Berhalter scored twice to secure a win that was never in doubt.
The victory strengthens Vancouver’s position as a top contender in the Western Conference. The club is now tied on 60 points with San Diego FC and holds a game in hand. Elloumi’s contributions have been a key part of their success; he also started up top earlier this week when the Whitecaps captured the Canadian Championship, qualifying them for the CONCACAF Champions League.
Born in Alberta, Canada, Elloumi has been called into the Canada U-18 national team but appears to have switched his allegiance to Tunisia. The Tunisian Football Federation officially welcomed him to their national team system at the end of September, signaling their interest in the promising young forward.
While not called into the senior squad for upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Elloumi’s rapid ascent in MLS makes him a player to watch for future senior and youth national team opportunities. He has shown promising instincts in the penalty area and a knack for being in the right place at the right time—a valuable trait for a Tunisia side seeking a consistent goal scorer.
After making his first appearances for Vancouver Whitecaps 2 last season, Elloumi broke through with 11 goals and 6 assists in 18 MLS Next Pro matches this year, earning his promotion to the first team.
With two matches remaining in the regular season, Vancouver’s qualification for the MLS Cup Playoffs is secure. They next face Orlando City away from home on Saturday.
