Ahead of the Sounders FC’s "The Champs Return" match on Sunday, in which the club will honor the 2019 team that lifted MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field at the home opener against Chicago Fire FC, relive all the magic of that day by watching MLSsoccer.com’s cinematic recap of the final.
Titled ‘The Grudge Match: The Story of the 2019 MLS Cup Final’, the video pours over the history of Seattle and Toronto FC meeting in MLS Cup Finals with a trophy on the line. For the third time in four seasons, the two powerhouses of their respective conferences squared off in the championship match.
“It’s really remarkable that two clubs have been able to stay on top while the league is continuing to evolve,” said Toronto FC Head Coach Greg Vanney.
Added TFC striker Jozy Altidore: “I think it’s a rivalry of ambition.”
In addition to covering the rich history of the Seattle-Toronto rivalry, the video reveals some fascinating nuggets of information from the players.
“What I remember most about [Víctor Rodríguez’s goal] is the week before we knew after this game, Víctor was going to return to Spain and no longer be with us,” said Nicolás Lodeiro. “We spoke all week about creating a goal together in our last game. We had to end on a high note, and he deserved it more than anyone.”
You can watch the full video below.