Four Additional Sounders FC Players Called Up for International Duty

SEATTLE, WASH.– Four additional Sounders FC have been called up for international duty for the September FIFA window: Xavier Arreaga (Ecuador), Nouhou (Cameroon), Alex Roldan (El Salvador) and Raúl Ruidíaz (Peru) are set to join their respective country’s national teams for the final international window prior to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. That makes five total Seattle First Team players joining senior national teams, joining previously-announced Jordan Morris (United States). Additionally, Sounders FC midfielder Reed Baker-Whiting (U-19) and Tacoma Defiance defender Stuart Hawkins (U-17) have been called up for U.S. Men’s Youth National Team action.

Arreaga has 17 career caps for Ecuador, including nine appearances during the squad’s FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring his lone international goal in a 6-1 win over Colombia on November 17, 2020. La Tri plays Saudi Arabia on September 23 and Japan on September 27 in a pair of World Cup tune-up matches.

Nouhou has 15 career caps for Cameroon, including six during Les Lions Indomptables’ successful World Cup qualifying campaign. He previously helped Cameroon to a third-place finish in the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Cameroon is set to play Uzbekistan on September 23 and South Korea on September 27 in World Cup tune-up fixtures.

Roldan has 15 caps and two goals for El Salvador, including 11 appearances during World Cup qualifying. He made his international debut in a Gold Cup match in July of 2021, scoring a goal in a 2-0 win over Guatemala. La Azul y Blanco is set to play a friendly against Peru on September 27.

Ruidíaz has 50 career caps for Peru, most recently appearing in seven matches during World Cup qualifying action. The Lima native looks to add to his tally of four career international goals when La Blanquirroja faces Mexico on September 24 and El Salvador on September 27 for a pair of friendlies.

Baker-Whiting been called up to the U-19 USMYNT for the upcoming Slovenia Nations Cup, where the U.S. is set to play Malta (September 21), Croatia (September 23) and Scotland (September 27). Hawkins joins the U-17 MYNT for the Vaclav Jezek Tournament in Czech Republic, where the squad faces Slovakia (September 21), Germany (September 23) and Czech Republic (September 25).

Sounders FC (12-16-3, 39 points) returns to MLS action on Tuesday, September 27 against FC Cincinnati on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field (7:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).