The 17-year-old midfielder already has one major title to his name after helping guide the Seattle Sounders to CONCACAF Champions League glory
Just 29 minutes into the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final, Seattle Sounders star Joao Paulo went down, and it was cause for concern. You see, Paulo was an 2021 MLS MVP candidate as one of the best midfielders in the league. Replacing him in this game with these stakes? Almost impossible.
To cover for the Brazilian star, coach Brian Schmetzer turned to his bench and called on Obed Vargas, the 16-year-old midfield prodigy from Anchorage, Alaska. There aren't many soccer stars from Alaska and there aren't many 16-year-olds capable of coming off the bench in a continental cup final. But then not many 16-year-olds are like Vargas.
The Sounders won 3-0, becoming the first MLS team to win any version of CONCACAF's top title since 2005. That victory propelled them to the Club World Cup while also vaulting Vargas into the spotlight. The Mexican-American teenager quickly became one of the most talked-about prospects in MLS before a back injury derailed the rest of the 2022 season.
Vargas is back for the Club World Cup and his age-17 season. All signs point to him being a major contributor and, perhaps, the next young star to truly take the leap in MLS. And then there's the international side to worry about, as both the U.S. men's national team and Mexico will certainly be keeping an eye on him.
But what makes him so special? NXGN breaks down Vargas' rise…
Jane Gershovich / Sounders FC CommunicationsWhere it all began
Anchorage, Alaska doesn't produce much soccer talent, and understandably so. It's basic geography. It's cold up in Alaska, which is just so far away from the mainland U.S.
Vargas is one of five children born to Mexican-American parents, and was born into a soccer-loving family. His entire family plays, with his father serving as his earliest coach.
Growing up, Vargas played for Cook Inlet Soccer Club before moving to Seattle to further his career with the Sounders academy. Once in Seattle, he progressed quickly, signing with the Tacoma Defiance, the club's reserve team, in May 2021, before making his MLS debut just a month later.
By making his debut, Vargas became the third-youngest player to appear in an MLS match behind only Freddy Adu and Alphonso Davies.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break
While fans of the Sounders were certainly excited about Vargas' potential prior to that CCL run, it was his performances in that competition that vaulted him into the spotlight.
Vargas was a mainstay throughout the competition, beginning in February 2022, where he started both games against Honduran side Motagua.
The next round brought a much stiffer test, Mexico's Leon, Vargas, though, was unphased as he logged 90 minutes in a 3-0 first-leg win before coming off the bench to help seal the tie in the second leg.
He made two more appearances in the semis against NYCFC before that memorable 61-minute runout against Pumas in the final's second leg, helping the Sounders seal a historic trophy.
“I would hope some of those scouts from Leon or some of the other bigger teams in Mexico would take notice, although I don't want to lose the kid," Schmetzer said last year during the Sounders' run. "But certainly he belongs in the team. He has played at a level where he belongs on the field so that's credit to him."
GettyHow it's going
Following the CCL finale, Vargas went right into the Sounders starting XI, keeping things ticking at the heart of the team's midfield.
The teenager started each of the club's next seven MLS games, proving that his introduction in the continental competition was no fluke. His rapid rise saw him called up to the U.S. Under-20 men's national team as the youngest player in the squad.
Unfortunately, though, that run would be somewhat short-lived, as Vargas went down with an injury that derailed his 2022 season. A back issue effectively ended his season in June, forcing him to miss the final months of the MLS campaign.
Heading into 2023, though, Vargas is back and fit for the start of the season. He's trained fully during preseason, and could take the field for Sounders' Club World Cup run ahead of the start of the MLS season on February 25.
Lindsey Wasson / Sounders FC CommunicationsBiggest strengths
Vargas has often started on one side of a double pivot, with his ability to anchor a team as the more defensive-minded midfielder being apparent right from the start.
Despite his age, Vargas has shown great signs of understanding what may just be soccer's hardest position. He's been fantastic at getting into the right position defensively and does well at cutting off passing lanes.
Going up against some of the best competition CONCACAF has to offer, Vargas never looked out of place, which is much more than you can expect from a 16-year-old defensive midfielder being thrown in at the deep end.
And, saying that, Vargas' biggest strength is probably his mind. He's had the confidence and poise to step on the field in a continental cup final, something few could have done at his age. He made some mistakes in his early MLS games, but never seemed to get too frustrated by them.
Physically, though, Vargas is no slouch, as he's listed at5′9 with plenty of time to grow and, when he is on the ball, he has the strength to hold off defenders and the burst to glide past them if needed.
