RENTON, WASH. – Sounders FC defenders Jonathan Bell, Stuart Hawkins and Nouhou, as well as midfielders Reed Baker-Whiting and Obed Vargas have all been called-up to represent their national teams during the October FIFA window. Bell, Nouhou and Vargas are set to join Jamaica, Cameroon and Mexico, respectively, while Hawkins and Baker-Whiting get the nod for the U.S. Men’s Youth National Team at the U-19 and U-20 levels.
Nouhou, 26, has 33 career caps for Cameroon since 2018, playing every minute in all three of Cameroon’s 2022 FIFA World CupTM matches, including the country’s historic 1-0 win over Brazil. The Douala native most recently started a pair of matches in the FIFA September window for Les Lions Indomptables during its Africa Cup of Nations 2024 qualifying run, playing 90 total minutes. Cameroon continues its qualifying campaign during the October window, playing Kenya twice. The first match takes place on Friday, October 11 in Cameroon (9:00 a.m. PT) before the two sides square off on Monday, October 14 in Kenya (6:00 a.m. PT). Cameroon currently sits in second place in Group J with four points (1-0-1). Nouhou has 26 regular-season appearances for Seattle this season (25 starts).
Vargas, 19, gets the nod to the senior Mexican National Team for the first time since utilizing his one-time federation change to Mexico from the United States. He was previously called into Mexico’s U-23 squad during the September window for a training camp and pair of friendlies. The midfielder made nine appearances for the U.S. before the change, including five appearances (three starts) at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. El Tri is holding a camp in Mexico before playing a friendly against the United States on Tuesday, October 15 in Zapopan, Mexico (6:30 p.m. PT / TNT, MAX). Vargas has appeared in 29 regular-season matches (27 starts) for the Rave Green in 2024, scoring one goal and adding seven assists.
Bell, 27, earns a spot with Jamaica as it continues its 2024-2025 Concacaf Nations League campaign. Bell previously joined Jamaica for Nations League play during the September window and also appeared in one 2024 Copa America match this year, playing all 90 minutes against Venezuela (July 1). He earned his first cap with the Reggae Boyz in a friendly against Guatemala (November 12, 2023). Jamaica plays Nicaragua on Thursday, October 10 (7:00 p.m. PT) before facing Honduras on Monday, October 14 (6:00 p.m. PT). Bell has made 10 appearances (five starts) for Seattle in MLS play this year, scoring a goal against St. Louis CITY (July 17).
Baker-Whiting, 19, is set to join the U.S. U-20s at a training camp in Santiago, Chile with friendlies scheduled against the Chile U-20s on Saturday, October 12 and Tuesday, October 15. Baker-Whiting has previously appeared for the U.S. at both the U-17 and U-19 levels, including a start in a friendly against Norway (June 9, 2022). The Seattle native has appeared in 21 regular-season matches (six starts) for Seattle this year.
Hawkins, 18, travels to Valencia, Spain for a camp with the U.S. U-19s, where they are set to play friendly matches against Sweden on October 11 and Japan on October 15. The defender made four appearances at the Concacaf U-20 Championships in Mexico earlier this year where the United States finished second, making a substitute appearance in the championship match against Mexico. Prior to that, he has represented the United States at the U-16 and U-17 levels, playing in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia in 2023 where he made four appearances. Hawkins has appeared in 20 matches (19 starts) for Tacoma Defiance in MLS NEXT Pro play this year, as well as two appearances for Sounders FC its 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run.
Coming off a nine-point week with wins against Houston, Vancouver and Colorado, securing home-field advantage in Round One of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, Sounders FC now looks ahead to a Decision Day matchup against Cascadia rival Portland Timbers on Saturday, October 19 on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field (6:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM).
