Moment earned: Antino Lopez's path to the Sounders First Team

The Seattle Sounders entered the 2026 season aiming to return to the strong defensive form that saw them lead MLS in fewest goals conceded in 2023 and 2024.

With that, they needed additional ammunition on defense. From tired legs due to schedule congestion to injuries, it was necessary to deepen the backline, and former Tacoma Defiance defender Antino Lopez was the perfect player to achieve that for the Rave Green.

So, on March 17, Lopez became the latest player to sign to the Sounders squad for the 2026 season with club options through June 2027 and for the 2027-2028 season.

“It's just an unreal feeling, just super happy and super excited,” said Lopez.

Just two days before he signed the First Team contract, the Las Vegas native put in a solid 90-minute performance against the San Jose Earthquakes while on Short-Term Agreement with the First Team. In addition to his 16 clearances, 4 blocks and 2 recoveries, the center back prevented a significant goal-scoring opportunity from the NorCal side to secure the shutout for the Rave Green. It was then that Head Coach Brian Schmetzer praised him in his post-match remarks, bluntly stating, “We gotta sign Tino.”

“I could barely wrap my head around all of it,” said Lopez. “My mom and my aunt were actually at the game, so I just wanted to go and see them and tell them what just happened, and just kind of celebrate a little bit outside in that stadium.”

Schmetzer's post-match comments only reinforced the potential the Sounders organization saw in Lopez long before his showing in San Jose.

Sounders Technical Director Henry Brauner initially discovered Lopez while playing in Vegas. The defender — shortly afterward — made the decision to leave home at 14-years-old to pursue an opportunity to play for Shattuck - Saint Mary’s in Minnesota, but Brauner kept an eye on him, eventually recruiting Lopez to join the Sounders Development Pathway during his senior year of high school. 

“Seeing a kid willing to go outside of his [home] environment to get an opportunity, that was something that kind of stood out for us and then just watching him play games,” said Brauner. “And at the time, Shattuck played in the US Developmental Academy, before it was [called] MLS Next, and he had obviously good performances there. Those teams are always very competitive. And he was one of the reasons why they were competitive. So, [we were] wanting to give him a more clear professional pathway and put him into our environment.”

Following his time with the Sounders’ Academy, Lopez took the unconventional approach in his pathway to pro, spending four years playing at the collegiate level with Duke. His ACC All-Freshman and 2x ACC Third-Team accolades proved he was capable of continuing his career at a higher level, leaving the Sounders staff compelled to bring him back for another chance at building his journey at the club.

After getting drafted as the 52nd overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, he signed with Tacoma Defiance where his progression in his game began to truly flourish. Over the course of his 41 appearances for Defiance, he earned call-ups for five Sounders FC matches via Short-Term Agreements.​

“With players like Tino, it's just like the gradual increase over time. Every day [he] got a little bit better. And sometimes you don't necessarily see that over the course of a week or a month, but you see it over the course of six months to a year,” said Brauner.

“He never really took a step back. And because of that, he just kind of grew a little bit further beyond his peers in that sense [and] it's credit to his discipline and determination more than anything else.”

His tactical game improved in addition to his mental game. In a year that felt crucial to his career development, Lopez was dealt with multiple injuries in 2025 that left him sidelined for multiple matches.

“In preseason last year, I did my hamstring, that was two months, and then as soon as I was coming back, getting into starting again, and being able to play 90, I popped my hip and had a fracture toward my adductor and hip flexor a little bit,” said Lopez. “And those were really my first muscle injuries I've ever experienced.”

It was difficult to overcome, but Lopez knew that in order to get back to a path forward in his career, he had to focus on the things that were controllable.

“[I didn’t] allow myself to sit in my room and think about the things that aren't going my way, because there's adversity in everybody's upbringing, and this was just something I had to figure out,” he said.

Lopez’s resiliency and commitment to getting healthy was a driving force to get back into the First Team playing pool.

“He was just willing to go through the process at every stage,” said Brauner. “He was willing to do the extra work with Tacoma Defiance Head Athletic Trainer Emma [Strom].”

Since then, the center back has come back better than ever, proving himself not only at the highest level, but as a trusted teammate in the First Team’s backline.

“He's very committed to just getting a little bit better each day,” said Brauner. “And he just embodies that longer range, longer body of work. And what happens when you're willing to be that consistent, you'll get the opportunities.”

Lopez achieved his initial objective of signing a contract with the Seattle Sounders. And now, he has his eyes on serving a larger role, game after game.

He wants to solidify a spot in the Starting XI. He wants to be the guy his teammates and coaches can rely on. Overall, he wants to be known as one of those guys teams hate playing against.

“[Whether] it’s tackling, not letting players get by [me], or knowing that if I have the ball, I’m going to play through it either way… I just want to be known as a good player,” said Lopez. “You have to be careful. You've got to watch out for him, because he’s not going to make it easy for you.”