It is hard to imagine a time when Pedro de la Vega wasn’t playing soccer.
“The first thing they gave me must have been a ball,” the Sounders forward said of his family, growing up in Olavarría, Argentina.
Beginning at the age of 3, de la Vega followed in the footsteps of his four older siblings who played the sport, and his father, who had a career as a soccer coach.
“My father was a coach all his life at [FC] Ferro [Carril Sud],” de la Vega said. “I spent my entire childhood there. And I started to love soccer, to love playing, more than anything else.”
The winger discovered his passion for the game from the jump, and eventually, his underlying talent that would lead him thousands of miles from his hometown.
At only 12 years old, de la Vega began receiving calls from clubs in Buenos Aires. But it wasn’t until two years later that he decided to leave everything familiar behind to pursue his goal of playing professionally.
“When I was 14, it was like I felt like I had to go, that I wanted to go to Buenos Aires to start dedicating myself to this, to fight for a dream of becoming a professional player, to be able to play in the First [Division Argentine soccer league].”
So, de la Vega went. The teenager packed his bags and left his hometown club Ferro Carril Sud to travel nearly five hours northeast to Argentina’s capital, where he joined the youth team of Club Atlético Lanús.
Fast forward nine years later, Buenos Aires became de la Vega’s second home, where he not only developed his game in Lanús’ youth system, but also made his professional debut three years after arriving at the club.
“I enjoyed it very much,” de la Vega said. “[Lanús] helped me grow as a player, but above all things, as a person.”
The winger was with Lanús from 2015-2023, where he recorded 17 goals and 14 assists across five seasons. Additionally, his performances at the club level earned him opportunities to compete on the world stage with his 17 appearances for Argentina’s U-20 and U-23 teams and his three featured matches in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“It was a very beautiful experience,” he added.
Buenos Aires became a place of comfort for de la Vega, who developed a strong sense of community throughout his time at Lanús.
“I met incredible people, and I think it gave [my family] peace of mind because I was in a place like that, where I felt so safe and where I could enjoy and be happy, for a long time,” he said.
With de la Vega’s success, however, he also felt the desire for something new.
“I enjoyed [Lanús] very much, [but] then came the opportunity to come to the Sounders,” de la Vega said. “I think it was just an important moment to me, when I already wanted to leave after many years with the club and wanted the opportunity to see myself outside, to see myself at another club, to have this experience. And when the offer from the Sounders came, and I communicated with [Sounders General Manager] Craig [Waibel] at the time, I saw his enthusiasm, what he wanted from me, and I think that also convinced me [to leave].”
Following his near decade-long stint at Lanús, the Argentine signed a four-year, Young Designated Player contract through the 2027 season with Seattle, with a club option for 2028.
It was an exciting time for the Sounders’ first-ever Young DP; the idea of joining a new team that has a history of winning championships was intriguing to the now 24-year-old. But with his mind focused on soccer, he had not thought through the big adjustments he’d face.
“I think I was surprised by everything,” de la Vega said.
“It was a big change where I kept on learning a lot along the way...I think that in everyday life, over time, it's [been] a big cultural change.”
It was particularly difficult for him to express himself as he had in Argentina.
“I am someone who likes to talk, who likes to communicate,” de la Vega said. “And maybe at first I found that part more difficult because of the subject matter, of the language, and I also came from a place where I had been for a long time, where I had lots of people, many friends.”
But with patience, the willingness to learn about the cultural differences at hand, and help from others along the way, de la Vega has become well-acquainted with his new home in the Pacific Northwest.
“Day by day, I continue to learn; I continue trying to improve my English, to try to create new connections. I think it's very important, and it's not easy either. I love Seattle.”
“There were times when, perhaps, I suffered and I was not realizing; or I was down, and I was not seeing it,” de la Vega continued. “But I always had people who helped me.”
Whether it’s his psychologist whom he sees once a week or the support he receives from friends and family, de la Vega has been able to find resources that have helped him navigate his unfamiliar journey in Seattle, in addition to the injuries that have come along with it.
It’s been the support he’s given himself in those moments, however, that has allowed him to push through the adversity that's been presented to him over the last year.
“I tell myself, it's about loving yourself in those situations,” he said. “These are not easy situations. I could have blamed myself, or put pressure on myself, and so on; and I think that the power lies in being able to be kind to yourself.”
During de la Vega’s time with Lanús, he sustained an ACL injury that left him sidelined for nearly the entire 2022 season. While a long rehabilitation to get back on the pitch would deter many players, the challenge only made him stronger. In de la Vega’s final season with Lanús, the winger put up big numbers for the club, starting in a career high 36 matches and tallying six goals and seven assists.
“Sometimes things don't work out or things happen that you don't choose and to accept it can sometimes be hard,” de la Vega said. “But one has to keep moving forward. And keep chasing what one wishes.”
His approach has not changed since joining the Sounders. Despite having gone through stubborn injuries since his arrival in January 2024, the Argentine remains positive, no matter the circumstances.
“I think personally it was an incredible [2024] year for me, beyond these situations, which perhaps someone from the outside can say: ‘But he didn't play’ or, ‘This happened to him.’ But I ended up understanding it differently; I was able to get everything that was positive and beautiful that happened to me during the year.
“[It’s about] more than being a player,” de la Vega added. “I think one has to prioritize [oneself], feeling good about oneself, feeling comfortable in their surroundings. And I think that’s when you can start enjoying all those things.”
