ASN: Vargas having fun with early success with Sounders & U-20s, however now aiming for silverware

Obed Vargas is simply 16 years previous and has surprisingly taken on large roles with each the Sounderes and the US U-20 nationwide group. Now the Alaska native needs to translate that into silverware with the Sounders pushing within the Champions League and in MLS together with the U-20 group on the lookout for a run at CONCACAF qualifying this summer time. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke to Vargas about his journey, thus far. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
April 06, 2022
4:45 PM

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THE MLS SEASON continues to be younger and there’s a lot to go in 2022, however one of many extra spectacular tales from the attitude of youth improvement has been Seattle Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas who has performed a big function on the group within the early season and within the group’s CONCACAF Champions League run. On prime of that, he’s additionally taking a rising function on the U.S. U-20 group regardless of taking part in a whole cycle up.

Vargas, 16, has been by way of so much in simply the previous two months however all that has achieved has set the stage for essential challenges within the close to future.

“I think I have a pretty good life support group that keeps me grounded,” Vargas advised ASN.  “They’ve all helped me stay humble and know that it’s a little bit I’ve done. I’ve really done nothing, really.”

Together with gamers resembling Josh Atencio, Reed Baker-Whiting, and Daniel Leyva, the Sounders have plenty of younger gamers with the primary group. However Seattle is among the many greatest MLS groups and in 2022 is anticipated to be a favourite to win MLS Cup once more.

Taking part in time could be troublesome to earn when competing with among the finest gamers within the league and different prime prospects for minutes. However Vargas insists it’s pleasant however skilled. The gamers need what’s finest for one another and the veterans are there to assist out the younger gamers.

“It’s a special thing when you’re very young and you have guys like Nico [Lodeiro] and Raul [Ruidiaz] around you. They’ve been to World Cups, played against the best players in the world, and know what it feels like being in those moments. They’ve transmitted that to me and given me confidence – and that I have to do my job. If I don’t, I will not play. It’s been a balance between giving me that confidence that I’m good enough and that I have responsibilities and a job to do on the field.”

Up to now, Vargas has appeared in all 5 of Seattle’s MLS video games together with three begins. He has additionally began in three of the group’s 4 CONCACAF Champions League video games – most impressively the 3-0 win over Leon. This week Seattle will open semifinals towards New York Metropolis. The winner will face Pumas or Cruz Azul within the remaining.

“It means everything to us,” Vargas mentioned. “We want to become that first MLS team to win that tournament and put the Sounders in history forever.”

#Sounders??? midfielder Albert Rusnák praised Obed Vargas when requested concerning the 16-year-old’s play this 12 months.

???? He is been implausible for the reason that day preseason began

????:https://t.co/uLUx466037 pic.twitter.com/mwkBH7n30h

— Niko Moreno (@ELROLONW) March 3, 2022

In June, Vargas will possible take his first main steps on the worldwide degree when the U.S. U-20 group will try and qualify for each the U-20 World Cup and the Olympics at a single event in Honduras.

After a powerful camp in January, Vargas backed up his effort with a fair higher camp in March the place he performed in a 2-2 draw with Argentina and scored in a 5-3 win over River Plate all whereas being the group’s youngest participant and eligible for the next U-20 cycle in 2025. All this has put him in a fantastic likelihood to make the roster in June.

“Obed did really well at the camp, and I would say Obed was one of the biggest surprises at the camp,” U.S. U-20 head coach Mikey Varas mentioned after the January camp. “I have given Obed the challenge to play his way into this group. He is a really strong player and it’s a tough position. But he did a really, really well. He’s a top talent.”

The latest camp in Argentina was possible the final for the group’s prime gamers earlier than qualifying and Vargas is worked up by what he’s seen from the group.

“We all get along very well,” Vargas mentioned of the U-20 group. “That always helps building team chemistry. We all have each other’s backs. The last camp was even better than the first one. I got to know people better. At the end of the day, it just reflects on the field -our movement and how we know each other. It’s going to help us in the long run and to hopefully qualify.”

“The pressure is on when you’re wearing the United States badge and you’re expected to win everything,” he added.

As U.S. Soccer has grown, the background of the highest gamers has change into extra numerous as scouting and alternatives have elevated throughout the nation. Vargas, particularly, stands out. He is without doubt one of the few skilled gamers to emerge from Alaska and play on the MLS degree.

Vargas was born in Anchorage and developed on the Cook dinner Inlet Soccer Membership. His mother and father are immigrants from Mexico who moved to Alaska for work. His father performed on the youth ranges of Mexican membership Atlético Morelia and was Vargas’ coach for many of his groups in Alaska. A part of Vargas’ improvement got here from taking part in up a number of age teams and sometimes making him the smallest participant on the sphere. He credit that with serving to him change into smarter on the ball.

Right here’s your each day Obed Vargas appreciation gif. pic.twitter.com/MKBlzL1feD

— Jeremiah Oshan (@JeremiahOshan) March 18, 2022

Whereas Alaska isn’t seen as a soccer hotbed, Vargas insists it helped make him into the prospect he’s at this time.

“I take a lot of pride being from Alaska,” Vargas mentioned. “A lot of kids don’t come out of Alaska as soccer players… I hope I can inspire a lot of kids from Alaska to do the same.”

“The players there pushed me,” he added. “You look at Alaska and you think: Oh, there’s not many good players. But there might not be a lot of teams, but they have decent players. They have competitive players that push themselves and will fight.”

Whereas Alaska was a superb place for Vargas initially of his youth profession, he knew ultimately he needed to go away. In his early teenager years, he was recognized by Seattle Sounders scouts at a regional event. The Sounders supplied him a spot of their academy with a path to the USL group and, if profitable, a chance with the primary group.

For Vargas and his mother and father, the transfer to the “lower 48” was daunting however Vargas knew he needed to take it.

Obed Vargas has definitely been been a brilliant spot for #Sounders??? proper from the second he made his debut in Honduras. That is what Brian Schmetzer mentioned concerning the 16 year-old midfielder, who Cristian Roldan talked about reminded him of himself when he began in #MLS. pic.twitter.com/kUCD7baO8C

— Niko Moreno (@ELROLONW) February 28, 2022

“I knew I had to get out of Alaska and keep pursuing my dream,” Vargas defined. “When Seattle came out and they said they wanted me, it was pretty easy for me to say yes. But the whole process was very nerve wracking for my parents letting one of their sons go…  Just having me go by myself and to a whole different state. You could feel that tension of my parents wanting to let me go. I didn’t necessarily want to leave my house, but I had to.”

“MLS had done very well in giving young guys the opportunity,” Vargas mentioned of the league. “But it’s up to the young guy to take it.”

Doubtless, the transfer has labored out. Vargas has taken benefit of each alternative thus far and he has a chance have extra success in 2022 than some other 16-year-old American participant. However yhat success solely opens extra doorways and probably elevate tougher questions.

One query might be over his worldwide future. As a participant eligible for each the US and Mexico, Vargas is firmly on the radar of each packages – at the least on the youth degree. He takes nice delight in his twin citizenship and considers each “beautiful countries” who’re traditionally one of the best within the area.

Mexico has been aggressive in recruiting younger Mexican-American gamers however Vargas insists he’ll take his time with any choice.

For him, there are quite a few components at play. For Mexico, he grew up a supporter of El Tri by way of his mother and father and often watched their video games. For the US, he grew up within the nation and is having optimistic experiences with their U-20 nationwide group. He at the moment signifies that he’ll proceed to play for the U.S. youth groups earlier than making such a giant choice – one thing that might favor the US so long as the experiences proceed to be optimistic.

“I grew up a fan of Mexico,” Vargas defined about how he may view a selection. “But the United States has given my family and myself so much that I feel I could also play for the United States and be immensely proud of wearing the badge. I don’t really worry about it too much right now. I am still very young and I’m happy to play for the U.S at the youth level. When the decision is closer, I’ll think about it more deeply with my family and close friends.”

For now, nevertheless, such choices are solely hypothetical and are for an additional day. At simply 16, he has put himself ready to contend for the CONCACAF Champions League, MLS Cup, and incomes berths within the U-20 World Cup and the Olympics. That alone has put him among the many prime American prospects of his age group.