Is it possible to fit 50 years of club lore into a single piece of art? Absolutely not, but we tried our best!
Tapping into the incredible talent of Bill Wood, the “50 Years of Sounders” illustration was created. Can you find all the references?
PLAYERS AND COACHES
From top row to bottom:
Chad Marshall
Chad is wearing the 2018-2019 Rave Green jersey and holding a Western Conference Championship trophy.
Roger Davies
The 1980 NASL MVP is wearing the iconic white kit with light blue trim.
Stefan Frei
Stef is holding both MLS Cup trophies – earned in 2016 and 2019.
Obafemi Martins
While doing a staple Oba Flip, Oba is in a classic Rave Green kit from 2013, the season he signed.
Jordan Morris
The Mercer Island native is in Nightfall, the secondary kit from 2019-2020.
Kasey Keller
Our legendary goalkeeper is holding one of three U.S. Open Cup trophies he won as a player.
Wade Webber
One of the most memorable looks from our USL era, Wade dyed his hair purple to match the purple jerseys during their title-winning season.
Fredy Montero
Fredy is rocking The Jimi Hendrix Kit – which he wore in his second stint with the team – while holding a U.S. Open Cup trophy.
Ozzie Alonso
The Honey Badger is in the Electricity kit he wore when he scored his unbelievable goal in the 2011 U.S. Open Cup Final.
Marcus Hahnemann
A local goalkeeper who won trophies with the club in the USL and MLS, Marcus is holding a beer in honor of the time he traded his jersey for a beer after an Open Cup match at Starfire.
Mike England
One of the greats of our NASL era, Mike is wearing the green kit from our early years.
Zach Scott
Mr. Sounder’s career stretched from USL to MLS, and he is also holding one of the four U.S. Open Cup trophies he earned as a player.
Adrian Webster
Adrian, spotted here in a white jersey, had over 100 appearances with the club in its NASL era.
Steve Zakuani and Brad Evans
The dynamic duo – Steve in Super Cyan and Brad in Rave Green –are also holding microphones as a nod to them being hosts of the Sounders Pod-Cast and a part of the club’s broadcast talent.
Raúl Ruidíaz
The club’s all-time leading goalscorer is holding a Western Conference Championship trophy while showing off The Bruce Lee Kit.
Sigi Schmid
Sigi has the honor of donning a Golden Scarf, which was awarded to him posthumously.
Brian Schmetzer
Alongside Sigi is Brian Schmetzer, who is holding a jersey of Jimmy Gabriel – a player/coach for the NASL Sounders and one of Schmetzer’s mentors.
Clint Dempsey
Deuce is holding the 2014 Supporters’ Shield and wearing Pitch Black, which was voted as the greatest MLS jersey of all-time.
Cristian Roldan
Cristian – in the new Anniversary Kit – is holding a box of pizza (his favorite) from Broldan Pizza Co. – as Broldan is the nickname given to Cristian and his brother, Alex.
Nicolás Lodeiro
Perhaps the most decorated player in club history, Nico Lodeiro is holding the CCL trophy and doing his iconic “shoe phone” celebration in the Legacy Green kit.
João Paulo
JP, also wearing the Anniversary Kit, is holding a bunch of carnations – in honor of the club’s tradition of handing out the flowers to fans at the end of the season.
Román Torres
Román is holding a pair of Western Conference Championship trophies in the Heritage White kit from 2017-18.
There are a few other players hidden throughout the piece, too! Nouhou is a choo choo train, Will Bruin is a bear, Gustav Svensson is a goose, and even the beloved Erik Friberg is spotted with the Swedish flag in some tacos.
DETAILS
The scene is set at Lumen Field, but there is signage for the other home venues over the years: The Kingdome, Starfire Stadium, and Memorial Stadium. The banners that hang in the Lumen Field rafters are all accounted for, in addition to nods from our NASL era: The Soccer Bowl appearances in 1977 and 1982, the Europac Cup (1982) and the Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup (1981).
The crowd features familiar brand references and traditions: “Scarves Up” scarves, the “Seattle Sounders” call and response, “Boom Boom Clap” and “Eternal Blue, Forever Green.”
Other signs in the stadium include a reference to Roger Levesque’s tree chop celebration in Portland and his scuba diving goal celebration, Schmetzer’s favorite line of “Tough Kids”, and Bheem Goyal – the star eight-year-old goalkeeper who made a save vs. Dortmund in 2019. The “253” sign is a nod to the 253 Washington area code, the home of Lamar Neagle and Kelyn Rowe.
The Doug Flag represents Cascadia and the rivalries within the region, while the Morocco flag pays homage to the team’s appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup in Tangier, Morocco. Logos from various eras also appear, including the carnation and orca secondary marks that were unveiled in 2023.
There’s more! The flametowers that light up Lumen Field, our favorite orca mascot (Sammy the Sounder), Jingle Bells – the song of every road win, and a Soundwave drum in honor of our favorite band.
