Major League Soccer on Wednesday unveiled the 2024 22 Under 22 rankings presented by BODYARMOUR, with Sounders FC Homegrown Player Obed Vargas making the top ten.
An annual award for the top young players in MLS, the 22 Under 22 spotlights the future stars of the league and beyond. An expert panel of select MLS staff, MLS Season Pass talent and Club technical staff ranked Vargas at No. 7. The Sounders midfielder has come into his own in 2024, becoming a consistent starter on a team full of veteran players. Vargas has been a significant asset to the Sounders squad, allotting over 3,000 minutes for the team while contributing two goals and seven assists.
After revealing the list for the 2024 season, MLS Season Pass analysts Sacha Kljestan and Andrew Wiebe weighed in on the top contenders for next season. The pair selected Vargas as a unanimous favorite for earning the No. 1 spot in the 2025 22 Under 22.
“He’s shown an ability to carry the ball through midfield, to dribble past players,” said Kljestan. “But also to read the game, and to understand how hard it is to play as a center midfielder at 19 years old, to process all the things that are happening around you and still be able to set up plays in the final third. Obed Vargas has shown he has the quality. Now can he take the next step? I think he can.”
His recent standout performances in MLS also earned him his first call-up to the senior Mexico Men’s National Team for a training camp and friendly against the United States during the international window.
"He's number one in my book," said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. "Look, there's some talented kids on that list... I saw the list, I voted, of course, but I mean, his trajectory is pretty good."
