A familiar face has returned to the Lower Mainland, after Vancouver FC announced on Sunday the signing of veteran midfielder Nicolás Mezquida.

Mezquida, 33, was introduced to VFC fans at halftime of the club’s opening match of the 2025 season on Sunday, April 6 at Willoughby Community Park at the Langley Events Centre. He joins the club on a one-year guaranteed contract, with an option for 2026.

A creative and dynamic midfielder known for playing with flair, Mezquida brings significant experience and leadership to the Eagles’ roster.

Mezquida spent the early days of his near 17-year senior career in his native Uruguay before he landed with the Vancouver Whitecaps in February 2014. He went on to make 122 appearances in all competitions for Vancouver’s Major League Soccer (MLS) side, scoring 17 goals and adding seven assists over five seasons.

The attacking midfielder was part of the Whitecaps team that lifted the Voyagers Cup as winners of the Canadian Championship in 2015. His ambitious and probing play earned him a reputation as a fan favourite, as well as a dedicated following within Vancouver’s soccer community that still holds strong today.

Mezquida was traded to the Colorado Rapids in December 2018 and went on to make 84 appearances for the MLS side between 2019 and June 2022, scoring eight goals and adding five assists. Mezquida  has since competed in Greece with Volos Football Club, with Uruguay’s Club Deportivo Maldonado, with Cypriot club Ethnikos Achna and, most recently, with Uruguay’s Rampla Juniors.