While the future of Major League Soccer continues to look bright and the present is exciting as ever with the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs looming large, the end of the 2014 season also signifies sad times as the long professional careers of some of the league's most respected stars come to an end.
The Montreal Impact have plenty of ceremonial festivities lined up for departing Italian legend Marco Di Vaio as he plays his final pro game this Saturday (4 pm ET, MLS Live, TVA Sports).
Roughly 2,300 miles to the west in Canada, the Vancouver Whitecaps will honor retiring defenderJay DeMerit, the team's first MLS signing in 2011.
DeMerit announced the end of his playing days, effective immediately, on July 24. As the Whitecaps' regular comes to a close on Saturday (10 pm ET, MLS Live, TSN2), and the Whitecaps hope to lock up the fifth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, the club will celebrate DeMerit's career and his contributions as club captain.
Ahead of the celebrations this weekend, the club released the above video with special messages of congratulations and thanks from many friends of DeMerit, from current and former club and national team teammates, to folks from his time at Watford, to MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
The 'Caps also created this special interactive infographic outlining the unique path of DeMerit's career and meteoric rise from nobody to World Cup starter.
