Pepe Fernandez

2027 Nominee: Builders Category

A member of the original 1974 Sounders squad, Fernandez became one of the club’s most beloved ambassadors, helping build its connection with the community and grow soccer throughout Washington. During his first three years with the NASL Sounders, youth soccer participation grew by 82% statewide. The Uruguayan forward’s infectious enthusiasm extended far beyond the pitch, as he introduced the game to young players through school visits, free clinics and community appearances across the Puget Sound region, rural communities and Tribal communities. Often bringing his guitar and weaving music into his instruction, Fernandez made soccer approachable and engaging for new audiences, helping cultivate the grassroots support that became central to the Sounders’ identity.

A two-time NASL Best XI selection and the league’s 1969 MVP with Kansas City, Fernandez returned to play for the Sounders during the 1981-1982 NASL indoor season, while his commitment to developing the game continued through coaching, youth camps and investments in local soccer facilities. He served as an assistant coach with FC Seattle and its City League development program, while his “Pepe’s School of Soccer” camps introduced generations of Snohomish County players to the sport. In 1984, Fernandez and Walter Schmetzer Sr., father of Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, opened the Everett Soccer Dome, providing a year-round home for players of all ages for decades. Fernandez made Everett his home and devoted his lasting influence to building the region’s soccer community.