Nicolás Lodeiro

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2022 (Seattle): Lodeiro started 26 of 28 appearances in 2022, his most since 2019, adding seven goals and 11 assists in MLS regular season action. He scored a brace in his final match of the season against the San Jose Earthquakes (October 9), including the second-fastest goal in club history just 24 seconds into the match. He also started six matches in the club’s title winning Concacaf Champions League tournament run, finishing second in the competition with five goals, including two via penalty in a 2-2 draw against Pumas UNAM in the first leg of the Final (April 27), the second of which came in the ninth minute of stoppage time minute, the latest goal in club history across all competitions.

2021 (Seattle): Battling a knee injury for the majority of the year, Lodeiro recorded nine appearances and four starts, recording one assist in a 3-0 win over the LA Galaxy (May 2).

2020 (Seattle): Sounders FC’s captain finished tied for the league lead with 10 assists to go along with seven goals in 2020. After missing the club’s opening two regular-season contests in March, Lodeiro started all 20 of his appearances and was on the field for all but 18 minutes of Seattle’s season following the league’s restart in July, following a pause for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Uruguayan international tallied six game-winning assists in 2020 – two more than anyone else in MLS – while finishing third in fouls suffered (54) and second in corner kicks (93). He recorded a brace in a 3-0 win over LAFC (September 18), as well as two assists in a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake (October 7). His regular-season efforts earned him a nod as one of three Sounders named to the MLS Best XI alongside Raúl Ruidíaz and Jordan Morris, in addition to being one of five finalists for Landon Donovan MLS MVP. He recorded a goal in the Rave Green’s postseason 3-1 win over LAFC (November 24), in addition to recording three assists in the club’s run to its second consecutive MLS Cup appearance.

2019 (Seattle): Lodeiro started all 28 of his appearances, recording eight goals and a team-leading 12 assists, which ranked tied for seventh in MLS. Captaining Seattle to its second MLS Cup title and third championship appearance in his fourth MLS season, Lodeiro registered two goals and five assists in the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, including a goal and two assists in the club’s 3-1 win over LAFC in the Western Conference Championship (October 30). The Uruguayan led MLS in regular-season play in corner kicks (169) and fouls suffered (108), the latter of which ranks fourth for a single season in MLS history (his 110 in 2017 rank third). Lodeiro recorded a brace in a 2-1 win at Columbus (July 6) and in a 4-2 win vs. the New York Red Bulls (September 15).  

2018 (Seattle): In 2018, Lodeiro not only set Sounders FC’s single-season record with 16 assists, but also became the club’s all-time leader with 36 in his Seattle career, surpassing Mauro Rosales and Fredy Montero. His eight goals in 2018 also set a new MLS career high, giving him 19 in his 73 career regular-season appearances for the Rave Green. Lodeiro’s 16 assists ranked third in MLS – two behind the league leader – while his eight game-winning assists were two more than anyone else league-wide. The midfield maestro tied the club’s single-match record with three assists in a 3-2 late-season road win over the Houston Dynamo (October 21). Upon return to Sounders FC after missing five matches due to international duty with Uruguay ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Lodeiro exploded for eight goals and 15 assists in the final 23 matches of the campaign, sparking Sounders FC’s impressive turnaround. In the 2018 Western Conference Semifinals against Portland, Lodeiro scored a penalty in extra time of the second leg to force a shootout following a 3-2 Seattle result (November 8), with the Rave Green falling via penalty kicks. The goal vs. Portland gave him five postseason tallies in his Sounders FC career, one shy of Clint Dempsey for the club’s all-time lead. Lodeiro also led MLS with 94 fouls suffered and ranked second with 141 corner kicks taken.

2017 (Seattle): Lodeiro excelled in his first full season with Sounders FC, recording seven goals and 12 assists, one shy of the single-season club record held by Mauro Rosales (2011, 2012) and Obafemi Martins (2014). He was tied for first on the team with 33 starts and led all field players with 2,695 minutes played, in addition to playing every minute of the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Lodeiro started the season off strong, recording a goal or assist in six of the first eight matches of the season, totaling three goals and four assists in that span. He won AT&T MLS Goal of the Week in Week 6 for his 20-yard volley against San Jose (April 8), while also being named to MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week twice (Weeks 8 and 22). The Uruguayan international finished second in MLS with 152 corner kicks, shattering the previous club record of 100 held by Mauro Rosales (2013) and Andreas Ivanschitz (2016). His 110 fouls suffered were 15 more than any other player in MLS and just two shy of the single-season league record held by Alejandro Moreno (2006). Lodeiro also finished the 2017 MLS regular season ranked first league-wide in touches (2,981), successful passes in opponent half (1,236), passes into final third (422) and big chances created (12, tied with Maxmiliano Morález).

2016 (Seattle): After joining Seattle from Boca Juniors on July 27 amidst a coaching change and midseason slump, Lodeiro burst onto the MLS scene during Sounders FC’s late-season turnaround, leading the club to first MLS Cup title. The Uruguayan recorded four goals and eight assists in 13 regular-season appearances, becoming the third Seattle player to earn MLS Newcomer of the Year honors as the Rave Green went 7-2-4 with Lodeiro on the field to secure the club’s eighth postseason appearance. After making his MLS debut in a 1-1 draw against the LA Galaxy on July 31, the 27-year-old midfielder recorded a streak of eight appearances with a goal or assist, including a pair of two-assist performances against Orlando City SC (August 7) and at the Portland Timbers (August 28), while also adding a goal and an assist versus Real Salt Lake (August 14). Lodeiro was voted Etihad Airways MLS Player of the Month for August after recording two goals and six assists in the month, leading Sounders FC to a 3-1-1 record. In the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, Lodeiro became the club’s all-time leading postseason scorer after tallying four goals, all in a three-match span. He scored a brace in Seattle’s decisive 3-0 win over Supporters’ Shield champion FC Dallas in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, then added a crucial away goal in the second leg to secure advancement. He also scored the game-winner in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship against Colorado, and converted his spot kick in the penalty-kick shootout against Toronto in the MLS Cup Final.

2016 (Boca Juniors): In his final season with the Argentine side, Lodeiro made six starts in nine appearances. He recorded three goals in the 2016 campaign for the Blue and Gold.

2015 (Boca Juniors): After wrapping-up his tenure with Corinthians, Lodeiro joined Boca Juniors, which is the most successful club in Argentine history with 65 titles. The midfielder made 21 appearances, including 17 starts, in which he scored three goals. Notably, Lodeiro netted a goal against River Plate in the Superclasico. The club secured a domestic double as Boca Juniors topped Rosario Central in the 2015 Copa Argentina Final, in addition to finishing first in the Primera Division. 

2014 (Corinthians / Botafogo): Lodeiro started the campaign with Botafogo, where he appeared in five matches. After joining fellow Brazilian club Corinthians in May, Lodeiro made seven appearances, including three starts, for the Sao Paulo-based club. 

2013 (Botafogo): In his only full season with Botafogo, Lodeiro scored six goals and added three assists in 27 total appearances. Notably, Lodeiro recorded a brace in a 2-1 home win versus Cruzeiro on June 1. The club won the Campeonato Carioca in 2013 and qualified for the 2014 Copa Libertadores for the first time in 18 years.

2012 (Botafogo / Ajax): Lodeiro began the season in the Eredivisie with Ajax, where he scored two goals and added six assists in 13 league matches, plus another goal against Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League group stage. The midfielder signed with Brazil’s Botafogo in July, where he scored two goals and recorded six assists in 19 matches. 

2011 (Ajax): Due to an injury sustained in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Lodeiro didn’t play a club match in 2011.

2009-2010 (Nacional / Ajax): In his final season with his boyhood club, Lodeiro scored seven goals and added four assists. On December 13, Lodeiro played in his final game for Nacional, in which he recorded two goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over Cerrito. The club won all eight matches that he appeared in. Nacional also competed in the 2009 Copa Libertadores. After finishing first in its group, Nacional reached the semifinals before falling to eventual winner Estudiantes. Lodeiro had three goals in the tournament. Lodeiro signed with Ajax in January, before making his club debut in a reserve role against FC Twente on February 7. He went on to make eight substitute appearances, including an assist versus Venlo on April 11, as Ajax finished second in the Eredivise.

2008-2009 (Nacional): Lodeiro made two appearances as a substitute in the 2008 edition of the Copa Libertadores. The club was eliminated by Sao Paulo in the Round of 16. In league play, Lodeiro made 20 appearances, including two goals. 

2007-2008 (Nacional): In his first professional season, Lodeiro made 15 appearances for Nacional. He made his debut against Fenix on August 19.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since 2009, Lodeiro has been a part of the Uruguayan National Team, earning 57 caps and scoring four goals. In 2010, he was part of the country’s FIFA World Cup team that fell to the Netherlands in the tournament’s Semifinal Round. The following year, Lodeiro and Uruguay claimed the Copa America trophy, South America’s international football championship. Lodeiro represented his nation in the 2012 Olympic Games in London before making another FIFA World Cup run with Uruguay in Brazil in 2014. In 2016, he represented his nation at the 2016 Copa America Centenario in the United States. Lodeiro played in integral role in Uruguay’s successful qualification for the 2018 World Cup, making eight appearances, including four starts, and scoring the game-winning goal against Venezuela on October 6, 2016.

ACQUIRED 

Signed as a Designated Player on July 27, 2016