From a young age, Georgi Minoungou found strength through his support system.
Prior to playing soccer professionally, Minoungou was raised in Abidjan, a city in the Ivory Coast, where he was surrounded by a tight-knit community of family and friends.
“In Africa, everybody is more together,” said Minoungou. “People love to do things together, enjoy [themselves]. And this is how I grew up. It was a good thing, a good community.”
Whether it be going to church, playing soccer, or simply keeping each other company, Minoungou described his hometown’s locals as a “unit.”
“They love each other,” he said. “They're very welcoming.”
His childhood experience shaped who he is today — someone who navigates life with a bright outlook, no matter the circumstances.
“I grew up with positivity, energy, always happiness, and I feel like that's the kind of person that I am [now],” he said.
He calls out his mom as someone who played a key role in forming the foundation for him to be a hard-working, compassionate individual.
“My mom was someone who inspired me a lot,” said Minoungou. “I always wanted to [be] like her, you know, [show] people like, ‘Hey, this is my reference.’”
“[She] raised me with so much love.”
While Minoungou’s mom’s main focus was to ensure a strong education for her son, she was supportive of his desire to pursue soccer.
His desire to compete in the sport eventually turned into something bigger, with his raw talent earning him the opportunity to play professionally at Czech Republic side MFK Vyškov in 2021 before going on loan to Tacoma Defiance the following year.
Despite moving a world away from where he once grew up, the support from his mom, family and friends back at home never faltered. This was especially true when he was dealt with a life-altering injury.
Following a solid stint with the Defiance, Minounogu earned a spot on the First Team’s 2023 preseason camp roster. Everything looked as if it was falling into place, with the likelihood of an MLS contract in the near future. But things took a turn for the worst when Minoungou suffered an infection that left him visually impaired in his left eye.
During this tumultuous time, Minounogu remembers “crying basically every night.”
“I couldn't do anything, just staying home,” he said. “It was hard. It was really hard.”
Along with his family members providing comfort during this period of anguish, the Ivory Coast native found solace in Sounders defender Nouhou and former teammate AB Cissoko.
“Nouhou was always in my room because he knew at that moment I wasn't good,” said Minoungou. “And AB was there with me. He was my roommate at that time. He was with me, always trying to give me some positivity, some [good] vibes.”
From his family to his teammates and the wider Sounders organization, many stood in the winger’s corner during a difficult time. But it was the reaction from the Seattle soccer community that showed him the true depth of his support.
“The fans were sending me some [messages], like everybody was trying to reach out to make me feel good,” said Minoungou. “Everybody was there… The Seattle community. And at that time, I was with the [Sounders] second team, so that was even crazier. So just to think about the love that the community has for me is incredible.”
Maintaining a positive mindset was ingrained in him from a young age. He drew on that, along with perseverance and the encouragement of others, to work his way back to where he was before the infection.
Fast forward to today, the Ivory Coast native represents the Sounders First Team as arguably one of the most entertaining players to watch, with his speed and skill to beat players one-on-one.
His ability to defeat all odds and achieve his dream as a pro was not only a testament to his resilience, but to the people who uplifted him during this difficult time and throughout his life.
“When [people] see me, [they think], “Georgi, bro, this guy smiles all the time,’ because where I grew up, people were giving me that energy, that vibe,” said Minounogu. “And coming [to Seattle], I try to bring this and be relentless… Just bring the positive vibe and make life happy.”
