It’s been quite the year for former Sounders FC midfielder Obed Vargas.
Fresh off a season in which the Sounders Academy alum won the 2025 Leagues Cup and earned top billing on the league’s annual 22 Under 22 list, Vargas earned a transfer to Spanish giants Atlético Madrid in January. Now, the Alaska native has been called up to the Mexican National Team for FIFA World Cup 2026TM.
Vargas and El Tri will commence World Cup competition on June 11, where they will face South Africa in the opening match of the tournament in Mexico City. From there, Mexico will take on South Korea on June 18 before finishing the group stage with a matchup against the Czech Republic on June 24.
Prior to his transfer in the offseason, Vargas was an integral part of the Seattle Sounders. At just 16 years old, he helped the Rave Green make history as the first MLS club to win a Concacaf Champions Cup title back in 2022. Breaking into the team as a teenager, the midfielder signed a First Team contract following his brief stint in the Sounders Academy and second team, Tacoma Defiance. He finished his time in Seattle with 130 all-competition appearances, with eight goals and 16 assists, at just 20 years old.
