When Nicolas Lodeiro arrived in Seattle as the Sounders’ newest Designated Player, things were not going well for his new team.
The former Boca Juniors playmaker joined a club in ninth place in the Western Conference, had just parted ways with its head coach and been run off the field in a 3-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City. In an interview with ESPN FC on Tuesday at MLS Media Day in Los Angeles, Calif., Lodeiro explained how he was able to reverse the Sounders’ fortune and lead them to their first MLS Cup in the most unlikely of seasons.
“[I saw myself] like a breath of fresh air to do something different because things weren’t working and they needed a change,” Lodeiro said. “My arrival helped them see with a different perspective, from someone coming from the outside.”
All Lodeiro did was score eight goals and add eight more assists in 19 regular-season and postseason matches en route to being named MLS Newcomer of the Year. He also buried a fifth-round penalty kick that Seattle needed to score to stay alive against Toronto FC in the MLS Cup Final.
“I came with something that they weren’t seeing,” said Lodeiro, “with different vision.”
Sounders fans are excited that vision expects to stick around for a while. On Tuesday, Lodeiro said he sees himself in Seattle “for a long time.”
