When looking at the history of the Seattle Sounders, you have to break it into two eras: before and after July 27, 2016.
On that fateful day, Nicolás Lodeiro became a Sounder and forever altered the trajectory of the club. Eight seasons, seven trophies, 10 finals, 123 goal contributions and 231 appearances later, Lodeiro is moving on to the next chapter of his career.
In honor of his incomparable impact on the Sounders organization, we’re breaking down 10 of our favorite Lodeiro performances for the Rave Green:
Lodeiro’s First Goal (August 14, 2016)
Lodeiro had tallied two assists in his previous outing, a 3-1 road win over Orlando City, and followed that up with his first goal in a 2-1 victory against Real Salt Lake at Lumen Field. It was a brilliant finish as he struck a first-time shot into the top-left corner in front of the Brougham End to put Seattle 1-0 up in the 24th minute. 13 minutes later, he got an assist on the game-winning goal with a picturesque cross to Jordan Morris as Seattle picked up three points at home.
Brace Against FC Dallas in MLS Cup Playoffs (October 30, 2016)
The Sounders entered their Western Conference Semifinals series against the 2016 Supporters’ Shield winners, FC Dallas, as heavy underdogs. But the Rave Green barnstormed the visitors in Leg One with a 3-0 victory, courtesy of a two-goal outburst from the Sounders’ captain. Nelson Valdez handed Seattle the lead in the 50th minute before Lodeiro doubled the advantage five minutes later. In the 57th minute, the No. 10 essentially iced the series with a textbook counterattack, driving down the left-hand side before megging the goalkeeper to send Lumen Field into a frenzy.
First Star (December 10, 2016)
In a game where the Sounders had to adopt a bend-but-don’t-break approach, Lodeiro put in an excellent defensive shift over the course of the 120 minutes of play on the road in Toronto. And when the team needed him most in the penalty shootout, Seattle’s No. 10 came up clutch.
Going second in the fifth round, Lodeiro needed to score his penalty, otherwise Toronto would lift MLS Cup. Clint Irwin guessed the correct way on the spot kick, but the Uruguayan placed it so powerfully in the top corner, the TFC goalkeeper had no chance of saving it. Justin Morrow then missed in the sixth round and Román Torres scored his effort as the Sounders won their first-ever MLS Cup championship.
Historic Comeback (April 29, 2017)
Facing off against the New England Revolution at home in the MLS Regular Season, the Sounders found themselves in a 3-0 down late in the match. In the 74th minute, Lodeiro scored from the spot to pull one back before Will Bruin added a second in the 86th minute. Two minutes later, Lodeiro got an assist on Osvaldo Alonso’s equalizer. It was the first time in club history that the Sounders had overcome a three-goal deficit to pick up a result.
Midfield Masterclass (August 18, 2018)
After a slow start to the campaign, the Sounders began to surge up the table starting in July. The team rattled off a 12-match unbeaten run, with the most exceptional result coming in the 5-0 victory over the LA Galaxy at Lumen Field.
Lodeiro registered two assists in the win, but he easily could have posted five or six on another day. During the team’s unbeaten run, Lodeiro notched four goals and six assists.
2019 Western Conference Final (October 29, 2019)
LAFC entered the match as unanimous favorites, having shattered countless records in their dominant regular season. There was plenty of talk about the California side being the greatest MLS team of all time. Led by Lodeiro, the Sounders pulled off one of the greatest upsets in postseason history with a dominant 3-1 victory on the road. Seattle’s No. 10 posted a goal and two assists as the Rave Green advanced to their third MLS Cup Final in four years, with the opportunity to host for the first time in club history.
Two Stars (November 10, 2019)
Playing in front of a sold-out crowd of nearly 70,000 fans at Lumen Field, the Sounders hosted Toronto FC in the 2019 MLS Cup Final.
Seattle came alive in the second half, with Kelvin Leerdam scoring the opener in the 58th minute. 18 minutes later, Lodeiro got an assist on Víctor Rodríguez’s game-winning goal with a beautiful first-time pass around two defenders. Raúl Ruidíaz added a third in stoppage time to seal the victory.
Lodeiro made history that day as the first Sounders captain to hoist the MLS Cup trophy on home soil, delivering a second championship in just his fourth season in Seattle.
Miracle at Lumen Field (December 7, 2020)
Trailing 2-0 in the 74th minute at home in the Western Conference Final, the Seattle Sounders’ 2020 postseason campaign appeared close to an unceremonious end. Will Bruin pulled a goal back one-minute later to halve the deficit. Lodeiro then provided an assist on Ruidíaz’s equalizer in the 88th minute, before supplying another assist on Gustav Svensson’s game-winning goal in the third minute of second half stoppage time for a 3-2 win. It was one of the most astonishing comebacks in MLS history, with the Uruguayan midfielder playing a pivotal role.
Moment of Magic (August 10, 2021)
After finishing the 2020 campaign as an MLS MVP finalist and earning selection to the league’s Best XI, Lodeiro struggled with injuries for the first half of the 2021 campaign. In his second game back from a three-month spell on the sidelines, the midfielder scored an absolute golazo against Tigres in the Leagues Cup Quarterfinals. The long-range effort was part of a 3-0 demolition of the Liga MX giants, and foreshadowed Seattle’s historic run in the Concacaf Champions League the following year.
Immortality, Leg 1 (April 27, 2022)
Seattle’s dream run to the CCL Final appeared on the verge of turning into a nightmare, as the Sounders found themselves 2-0 down in the second half of the first leg in Mexico City. But as he’s done time and time again, Lodeiro came through when all hope seemed lost.
The Sounders’ captain dispatched a penalty kick in the 77th to halve the deficit, and then scored again from the spot in the ninth minute of second half stoppage time to level the series 2-2 on aggregate heading into the decisive second leg at Lumen Field.
Immortality, Leg 2 (May 4, 2022)
The stakes heading into Leg Two were clear: a win at Lumen Field would see the Sounders become the first-ever MLS club to win the Concacaf Champions League. Ruidíaz broke the deadlock in the 45th minute to hand Seattle a 1-0 lead going into the break. But after halftime, Pumas took control of the match and appeared on the verge of scoring an equalizer.
That all changed in the 80th minute when Lodeiro finished off a counter-attack with a perfect, no-look assist to Ruidíaz to double the Rave Green’s lead. Eight minutes later, as the nearly 70,000 fans in the building waited anxiously for the final whistle, Lodeiro smashed home a rebound from Jordan Morris shot to make it 3-0, crowning the Sounders the kings of Concacaf.
The building erupted with noise as Lodeiro ripped his shirt off and ran to celebrate with the supporters in the Brougham End. You couldn’t write a better script, as a player who had already spent years pushing the Sounders to new heights delivered a trophy that every other MLS club had only dreamed of winning.
