The future looks bright for Kalani Kossa-Rienzi at the Seattle Sounders organization.
On Monday afternoon, it was announced that Kossa-Rienzi earned a First Team contract with the club until the end of the season, with options for 2026 and 2027.
“He's going to be an excellent MLS player,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer.
It has been a long time coming for the defender, who spent the last year with Tacoma Defiance after getting drafted 23rd overall in the 2024 SuperDraft from the University of Washington.
“The kid deserves to be signed to a contract,” said Schmetzer. “The kid has potential.”
He’s been on the First Team’s radar since he joined the club last season. After finishing his college career in top form, the 2x Pac-12 All-Conference First Team player carried over his talents to the professional level. In his 25 appearances with Defiance, Kossa-Rienzi made 21 starts, collected three assists and supported the team toward a spot in the MLSNP Conference Semifinals.
Kossa-Rienzi displayed glimpses of his potential at the MLS NEXT Pro level and during stints with the First Team, most notably being his game-winning goal to defeat Phoenix Rising in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. But, it wasn’t until recently when his hard work and dedication finally came to fruition.
“The biggest thing for me was, just keep stacking days and good things will happen,” said Kossa-Rienzi. “So my mentality has been [to] just keep working hard, keep doing what you're doing, and don't let your foot off the gas.”
His strong showings over the last two pre-seasons in Spain and the impact he showcased with Defiance ultimately pushed him to receive the contract. His first-ever MLS goal in Saturday’s 5-2 win over LAFC was just “the icing on the cake,” according to Schmetzer.
“Well, we've liked him since last year. He's put his time in Defiance,” added Schmetzer. “He's got talent.”
The Berkeley native’s contributions extend to both sides of the pitch. Along with his ability to score goals in crucial moments, he is also a bulldozer on defense. Last match, during his short-term loan, Kossa-Rienzi recorded five tackles and won seven duels for the Sounders, all while completing 97% of his passes throughout the duration of his 71 minutes of action.
“Sometimes it takes a lot longer than you're hoping to kind of make that final break,” said midfielder Paul Rothrock. “He's taken advantage of his opportunities.”
The First Team contract marks a significant milestone for Kossa-Rienzi’s career, and his teammates couldn’t be more thrilled to have him as an official member on the roster.
“That's my dog. I love that kid [and] I'm really excited to have him on the team,” said Rothrock. “He's a really good guy, [and a] good player.”
