Obed Vargas

Obed Vargas
Personal information
Full name Obed Gomez Vargas[1]
Date of birth (2005-08-05) August 5, 2005 (age 19)[1]
Place of birth Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Seattle Sounders FC
Number 18
Youth career
Cook Inlet SC
2019–2021 Seattle Sounders FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Tacoma Defiance 28 (0)
2021– Seattle Sounders FC 65 (1)
International career‡
2022 United States U20 9 (0)
2023 United States U23 2 (1)
2024 Mexico U20 0 (0)
2024 Mexico U23 2 (0)
2024– Mexico 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2024

Obed Gomez Vargas (born August 5, 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC. Born in the United States, he represents the Mexico national team.[2]

Club career

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Born in Anchorage, Alaska, Vargas began his career with Cook Inlet Soccer Club before moving to Washington and joining the youth academy for Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC.[3][4] He played in the academy for two seasons before signing a professional contract with Sounders FC reserve side Tacoma Defiance on May 7, 2021.[5] A couple days later, on May 9, Vargas made his senior debut for Tacoma Defiance in the USL Championship against LA Galaxy II. He started and played 66 minutes as the match ended in a 1–1 draw.[6]

He made his MLS debut for Seattle on July 22, 2021, as one of several Tacoma Defiance players called up to the Sounders for a match against Austin FC to replace injured players. At 15 years and 351 days old, Vargas was the third-youngest player in MLS history.[3] He signed a formal Homegrown Player contract with the Sounders in December and became a starter for the team in the first matches of the 2022 season, playing in two CONCACAF Champions League fixtures. Head coach Brian Schmetzer described Vargas' play style as similar to that of Cristian Roldan's rookie season, adding he was "going to be a tremendous player for our club".[7] He was an early substitute in the second leg of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final, which the Sounders won 3–0.[8]

Vargas made 13 appearances through late June, when a stress facture in his back prevented him from continuing with the team. He was also unable to join the under-20 national team in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[9] Vargas returned for the 2023 season but played in few matches.[10] He scored his first career MLS goal on April 30, 2024, against the Philadelphia Union, in a match that was originally started a month earlier but postponed due to heavy rain.[11]

International career

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Vargas was eligible to represent both Mexico and the United States at the international level.

United States U-15

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In March 2020, Vargas was selected to participate in the United States national under-15 team camp.[12]

United States U-20

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He was called up by the United States national under-20 team in January 2022.[7]

United States U-23

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On October 8, 2023, Vargas was called up to the United States national under-23 team ahead of friendlies against Mexico national under-23 and Japan national under-23 teams.[13]

Change of Allegiance

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On May 21, 2024, Vargas completed a one-time switch from the United States to Mexico.[2]

Mexico U-20

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On June 20, 2024, Vargas was called up to the Mexico national under-20 team ahead of friendlies against the Liga TDP, Cruz Azul under-23 and Atlético Morelia teams in preparation for the 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[14]

Mexico U-23

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On August 29, 2024, Vargas was called up to the Mexico national under-23 team ahead of two friendlies against the Panama national under-23 team scheduled for September 6, 2024 and September 10, 2024.[15]

Mexico senior

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Upon completing his FIFA one-time switch, in early October 2024, Vargas receives his first call-up to the senior national team for the coming October 11 and 15 friendly matches against Spanish club Valencia CF and the United States respectively. Vargas is the first Alaskan to ever play for a national team.[16] On October 15, 2024, Vargas makes his senior Mexico debut entering in the 83rd minute for Jesús Angulo in a friendly match against the United States, which Mexico won 2–0.[17]

Personal life

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Vargas is of Mexican descent and holds dual American and Mexican citizenship. His father played for the youth academy of Monarcas Morelia; his younger brother and two sisters also play soccer.[7][18]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 6 October 2024[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Tacoma Defiance 2021 USL 28 0 — — — 28 0
Seattle Sounders FC 2021 MLS 1 0 — — — 1 0
2022 MLS 13 0 1 0 7[a] 0 — 21 0
2023 MLS 22 0 1 0 2[b] 0 2[c] 0 27 0
2024 MLS 29 1 1 0 5[b] 1 — 35 2
Total 65 1 3 0 14 1 2 0 84 2
Career total 93 1 3 0 14 1 2 0 112 2
  1. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League
  2. ^ a b Appearances in Leagues Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs

International

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As of match played 15 October 2024[20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Mexico 2024 1 0
Total 1 0

Honours

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Seattle Sounders FC

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Squad List – FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023: USA" (PDF). FIFA. May 18, 2023. p. 23. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "USMNT loses highly rated Sounders midfielder Vargas to Mexico". June 12, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Bragg, Beth (July 24, 2021). "15-year-old Anchorage boy starts for Seattle Sounders to make Major League Soccer history". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  4. ^ "Sulte signs contract with Major League Soccer team in Portland". Alaska Sports Hall. November 12, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  5. ^ Foss, Tim (May 7, 2021). "Defiance add two Academy products". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  6. ^ "LA Galaxy II 1–1 Tacoma Defiance". Soccerway.
  7. ^ a b c Evans, Jayda (March 10, 2022). "16-year-old Obed Vargas playing like a veteran already with Sounders". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  8. ^ Creditor, Avi (May 4, 2022). "Seattle Ends MLS's CCL Futility, Routs Pumas to Win Concacaf's Title". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Liljenwall, Ari (June 24, 2022). "Seattle Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas sidelined "multiple weeks" with back injury". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  10. ^ Oshan, Jeremiah (February 15, 2024). "Obed Vargas willing to bide time after disappointing end to 2023". Sounder At Heart. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  11. ^ Evans, Jayda (April 30, 2024). "Raul Ruidiaz's brace leads Sounders over Union in completion of suspended game". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  12. ^ Carrick, Buzz (March 2, 2020). "Seven Dallas area players named to US U15 team". 3rd Degree. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  13. ^ "Twenty-three Players Called to U.s. Olympic Men's Soccer Team Training Camp as Preparations for Paris 2024 Kick Off in Phoenix". ussoccer.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  14. ^ "Convocatoria de la Selección Nacional de México Sub-20". June 20, 2024.
  15. ^ "Convocatoria Selección Nacional Sub-23 para juegos ante Panamá". August 29, 2024.
  16. ^ Rodenberger, Jordan (October 9, 2024). "Alaska's Obed Vargas gets call-up to Mexican National Team, set to play U.S." AlaskasNewsSource.com. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  17. ^ "Mexico–USA". Sofascore.com. October 15, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  18. ^ Mercado, Isabelle (n.d.). "Obed Vargas, a Promising Hispanic Soccer Player". Sol de Medianoche. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  19. ^ Obed Vargas at Soccerway
  20. ^ Obed Vargas at National-Football-Teams.com
  21. ^ "Game Details". concacaf.com. May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
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