World Cup 2022. Seattle Sounders, the rising star of football in the United States
“If we make the trip to Morocco, it’s to win.” Without shaking his chin and with great confidence, Jordan Morris displays his aspirations and those of the Seattle Sounders in an interview with FIFA.
Opposed to the Egyptians of Al Ahly, Saturday February 4, 2023 at the Grand Stade de Tanger (6 p.m.), Brian Schmetzer and his men do not intend to make up the numbers in this 2022 Club World Cup, organized in Morocco, from Wednesday 1st to Saturday 11th February.
With their historic crowning glory in the 2022 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League, the Sounders have put Washington State’s biggest city on the football map. Until then, Seattle was best known for its port specializing in transpacific trade and for grunge. This music derived from rock and underground culture, which appeared in the early 1990s, was popularized by Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and the Smashing Pumpkins.
Seattle also owes its notoriety to the headquarters of Microsoft and Amazon. From now on, it is his club created in November 2007 which contributes to his notoriety, just like his rookie of the year in the MLS, Jordan Morris, cfamous for having studied at Stanford University, where have passed several personalities including Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy and Elon Musk.
Jordan Morris, a profile that stands out
In 2015, Jordan Morris becomes the first college footballer for almost 20 years honoring a selection with the United States. A profile that clashes in the middle of the round ball across the Atlantic. Even more surprising, Washington state native rejects a proposal from Werder Bremen to join the Seattle Sounders, the club of his State of origin.
Founded as an expansion team for Major League Soccer (MLS), Seattle Sounders still kept the same name as the original franchise that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974 to 1983. The club is owned by the American businessman Adrian Hanauer, whereas 14 families from Seattle own minor shares.
The Sounders play their home league games at the LumenField, a stadium with a capacity of 37,722 seats. Jordan Morris and co are tirelessly encouraged by several groups of supporters, as well as a 53-member brass band called « SoundWave ».
Cheers ring ever louder as they face Pacific Northwest rivals Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Especially after last year’s feat in the Concacaf Champions League, breaking the hegemony of Mexican clubs.
“It was completely crazy”, remembers Jordan Morris. “From the start of the season, we decided to be the first representatives of MLS to win this competition because our championship has progressed enormously. I think a lot of people don’t have an idea of our true level,” he continues.
Quick offensive transition and number projection
The 2022 Club World Cup will be the perfect opportunity to remedy this injustice. The coronation match against Club Universidad Nacional (Mexico) in LDC, attests to the ability of the Seattle Sounders to project themselves in number into the penalty area (18 touches of balls in the surface per game). The two shots at the origin of the goals of the victory of the LDC were fired in the 16.5 meters opposing.
Often deployed in a 4-2-3-1, which turns into 4-4-2 in the defensive phase, the Americans favor a direct game (37% of their attacks) and don’t obsess over possession of the ball (50% on average). Author of three goals and an assist during the victorious epic in LDC, Raul Ruidiaz, the Peruvian international (52 selections, 4 goals), is often found at the conclusion of actions.
The pocket center forward (1m69), ultra restless on the entire front of the attack, is one of the main threats to the workforce of the Seattle Sounders, evaluated in its entirety at 50 million euros by the TransferMarkt reference site. More discreet on the pitch but no less important, the American Christian Roldan is the all-risk insurance of the Seattle Sounders.
He is the kind of player whose importance is obvious when he is absent. As a sentinel in front of the defence, he protects his defensive axis via proven compensation mechanisms and his investing science. In a midfielder position, higher on the pitch, he is also capable to ensure the balls come back but also to play in one key.
