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Messi's latest Seattle visit provides reminder of Sounders progress since his first visit in 2009
The Sounders went from a mostly-barren trophy case when a 22-year-old Messi came to Seattle in 2009 to one that includes four U.S. Open Cups, two MLS Cups, a CONCACAF Champions Cup and now a Leagues Cup. This organization has come a long way in 16 years.
Tonight, I want to thank Lionel Messi – because his first trip to Seattle in 2009 and his most recent one this weekend represent two major tent poles in the evolution of the Sounders organization.
Think about it: less than four months after a 22-year-old Messi came to Seattle with FC Barcelona, the Sounders won their very first U.S. Open Cup. It sparked a run of three straight U.S. Open Cup championships and four in six years, establishing Seattle’s commitment to winning trophies.
As Messi leaves Seattle tonight, a Sounders trophy case that was somewhat barren 16 years ago after his first visit, now boasts five MLS-era Cascadia Cups, four U.S. Open Cups, two MLS Cups, a CONCACAF Champions Cup – still the only MLS team to do so – and now, their very first Leagues Cup.
The only major trophy they don’t have is a FIFA Club World Cup.
Speaking of which, Messi’s appearance tonight was an unexpected way to cap a remarkable summer, where the Sounders hosted not only the top-ranked club in the world, Paris Saint-Germain, in a meaningful match, but also Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Cruz Azul and then Inter Miami in a championship match.
It’s a good bet we won’t get a lineup like that in the same season for the rest of our lives.
But what we will continue to see is the evolution of the Sounders organization, which this summer is flexing the strength of a developmental program that was in its infancy 16 years ago.
If I had told you the Sounders would lose just once in a stretch of 14 matches this summer and win Leagues Cup, while managing injuries to Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnak, Stefan Frei, Yeimar and Ryan Kent, after losing their top off-season acquisition Paul Arriola at the start of the year, you would’ve called me crazy. But we’ve seen the contributions of the next generation, including many Homegrown Players, not only keeping this team afloat, but leading it to wins.
As Brian Schmetzer so eloquently said earlier this week, they might have Messi, but we have Paul Rothrock.
Point taken. From Rothrock, to even lesser-known names like Osaze de Rosario, Kelani Kossa-Rienzi and Snyder Brunell, this franchise is in a position of strength, arguably the deepest it has ever been. It’s a fact sometimes lost amidst the disappointment of another summer transfer window coming and going without an acquisition.
The point is, tonight we celebrate another milestone in this franchise’s history. A trophy, given to the lone team standing among the 32 best in Major League Soccer and Liga MX from Mexico. A championship won in the best setting of all – on their home field in front of a virtually sold out crowd.
But it’s also a perfect chance to reflect on how far this franchise has come since the best player in the world first came here all those years ago.
Because appearances like that come and go, but the team we have is, well, Eternal Blue and Forever Green.