To make the 22 Under 22 list in Major League soccer is an achievement in itself, but Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas took it one step further with his recognition as the best young player in MLS.
On Oct. 8, MLS released the list of up-and-coming players from across the league, placing Vargas in the top spot.
“It shows what he's been grinding and what he means to our team and what he means to the league,” said forward Jesús Ferreira.
This comes as no surprise with Vargas’ workhorse demeanor in central midfield this season. From ranking No. 7 in last year’s rankings to now representing the club and himself as the No. 1 ranked young player in MLS, it is clear the Alaska native has brought his game to a whole new level in 2025.
At only 20 years old, Vargas has started in 37 of his 38 appearances across all competitions in 2025, including all three Club World Cup fixtures and every Leagues Cup match en route to the club’s first title in the tournament. In addition to four goals and two assists, his efforts as a box-to-box midfielder have earned him opportunities in the MLS All-Star game and call-ups to the Mexico U-20 side, most recently as a participant in the World Cup occurring in Chile.
“For him to be at such a young age and be so impactful, not just here, but in the national team, and what he's doing there, it's amazing,” said Ferreira.
Technical Director Henry Brauner emphasized how Vargas’ level of consistency day in and day out was the decisive factor in being rewarded the first-place position. When Vargas initially joined the First Team, he demonstrated a variability in performances one would expect from a teenage prospect breaking into first division soccer.
Now, as he’s taken next steps in his professional career, the coaching staff have noticed an expectation of consistent performances.
“Even if it's not his best day, even if it's not the top end performance that we know he's capable of giving, we're going to get this standard from him, and then he's going to have those spikes where it's like, ‘wow’,” added Brauner.
While 2025 has been a breakout year for the midfielder, it’s been the dedication and hard work he’s put in since joining the Sounders Academy at age 14 that has ultimately led him to this moment. Through the support given from the development side of the club and his willingness to improve, Vargas has become a valuable piece to a Sounders squad with championship ambitions.
“What we always want to provide for the players is that environment for them to succeed, and then Obed is going to take it from there,” said Brauner. “But we know, and we feel that we have the right space, we have the right environment for these players to take next steps.”
He continued: “We talk about learning capacity as one of the most important traits within a young player. You know, how long does it take them to take on information? How long does it take them to be able to execute what we're asking? And when we see these top, top players, their learning curve is so fast that it's almost immediate.”
Ferreira described Vargas as the “heart of the team” alongside fellow midfielder Cristian Roldan.
“He has that little fire in him, that winning mentality, and you can see in each game that he plays,” said Ferreira. “He's always getting into tackles, he's always protecting your teammates, he's always keeping the ball.
“He's [just] an awesome human being, caring. And that translates into the field.”
