Team of the Matchday: Facundo Torres, Jordan Morris round into form
A reminder about the Team of the Matchday presented by Audi, especially since 48 goals were scored throughout Matchday 22: The starting XI has limited attacking spots!
Updated August 19, 2024
XAVIER ARREAGA AT A GLANCE:
MLS CAREER: Ecuador international defender owns 114 regular season appearances, including 95 starts, with three goals and three assists over six MLS seasons…In 2024, owns 19 appearances, including 16 starts, with both Seattle and New England…Added three Leagues Cup appearances, all starts…Acquired by New England in trade with Seattle on April 23, 2024…Saw action in 14 matches, starting three, during 2023 campaign…Added two appearances in 2023 U.S. Open Cup…Tallied one goal in 27 matches, starting 26 times, during 2022 MLS campaign…Also appeared in all eight Concacaf Champions League matches in 2022, helping Seattle achieve tournament crown…Started 25 of his 26 league appearances during the 2021 season, scoring two goals…Added three additional appearances in Leagues Cup 2021 and one in the MLS Cup Playoffs…Notched two assists in 14 appearances, including 13 starts, during abbreviated 2020 season…Also saw action in pair of Concacaf Champions League matches in February 2020…Signed with Seattle as a designated player in May 2019…Made 14 appearances in regular season play along with three postseason matches during first season with club…
2024 (with Seattle and New England): Owns 19 appearances, starting on 16 occasions, with both New England and Seattle to date in 2024…Acquired by New England in trade with Seattle on April 23, 2024… Logged five appearances, with two starts, in 2024 for Seattle prior to departing club…(2/24) at LAFC: Made season debut with 26-minute shift off the bench…(4/20) vs. VAN: Saw 45 minutes off the bench in final appearance with Seattle…(4/27) vs. MIA: Made Revolution debut days after being acquired by club, logging 90 minutes and registering a game-high seven clearances…(5/4) at CHI: Started second straight match for New England, tallying seven clearances and helping club record first road shutout in nearly a year…(6/8) vs. RBNY: Registered first Revolution assist, and first in league play since 2020…(6/22) at CIN: Earned selection to MLS Team of the Matchday, tallying team highs in passes completed (37) and clearances (4)…(7/27) vs. MZT: Started and played 90 minutes in Leagues Cup opener, helping collect a shutout victory.
2023 (with Seattle): Saw action in 14 matches, starting three, during 2023 campaign…Added two appearances in 2023 U.S. Open Cup…Served as an unused substitute during FIFA Club World Cup match against El Ahly…(3/18) vs. LAFC: Made season debut with a 35-minute substitute performance…(4/25) vs. SD: Made U.S. Open Cup debut with 120-minute effort…(5/9) at LA: Earned second straight start in U.S. Open Cup play, logging 90 minutes.
2022 (with Seattle): Tallied one goal in career-high 27 matches, starting 26 times, during 2022 MLS campaign…Also appeared in all eight Concacaf Champions League matches in 2022, helping Seattle win the tournament crown and playing all 720 minutes…(2/27) vs. NSH: Started and logged 87 minutes in season opener…(3/12) vs. LA: Scored first goal of the regular season, a game-winner…(5/4) vs. PUM: Tallied game-winning assist in second leg of Concacaf Champions League Final, helping Seattle claim first CCL title…(8/18) at LA: Made 75th appearance in MLS…(10/1) at SKC: Started for 75th time in MLS career.
2021 (with Seattle): Started 25 of his 26 league appearances during the 2021 season, scoring two goals…Added three additional appearances in Leagues Cup 2021 and one in the MLS Cup Playoffs…(4/16) vs. MIN: Made season debut in opening match, starting and playing 90 minutes…(5/16) vs. LAFC: Scored first MLS goal, a game-winner…(8/10) vs. UANL: Made Leagues Cup debut in 90-minute outing…(8/21) at CLB: Tallied second goal of the season, a late equalizer, to help jumpstart a comeback victory…(9/14) vs. CSL: Played 90 minutes and helped keep a clean sheet in Leagues Cup semifinal…(9/22) at LEO: Started in Leagues Cup Final…(10/20) at COL: Earned 50th career MLS appearance…(11/7) at VAN: Made 50th MLS start…Postseason: Made one start, logging 120 minutes…(11/23) vs. RSL: Started and played full 120 minutes in first-round playoff match.
2020 (with Seattle): Recorded two assists over 14 appearances, including 13 starts, during abbreviated 2020 season…Also saw action in pair of Concacaf Champions League matches in February 2020…(2/20) at OLI: Made Concacaf Champions League debut with 90-minute effort in Round of 16 opener…(3/1) vs. CHI: Started in regular season opener, logging a full 90 minutes…(7/14) vs. CHI: Recorded first MLS assist in MLS is Back Tournament action…(9/10) vs. SJ: Tallied second assist of the season…(10/3) vs. VAN: Started in 25th MLS appearance…(11/8) vs. SJ: Earned 25th career MLS start, logging 90 minutes…Postseason: Did not make an appearance.
2019 (with Seattle): Signed with Seattle as a designated player in May 2019…Made 14 appearances in regular season play along with three postseason matches during first season with club…(5/26) at SKC: Made MLS and Seattle debut, logging 52 minutes as an injury substitute…(6/1) at FCD: Made first MLS start, a 90-minute outing…Postseason: Made three appearances, with one start, in title-winning campaign…(10/23) vs. RSL: Made MLS Cup Playoffs debut, logging 41 minutes off the bench…(10/29) at LAFC: Earned first postseason start, playing 90 minutes in Western Conference Final victory…(11/10) vs. TOR: Saw action as a late substitute in MLS Cup Final triumph.
CLUB CAREER OUTSIDE OF MLS: Signed first professional contract with Halley FC in 2012…Made 12 appearances in first professional season…Signed with Manta FC in 2012, making 55 appearances over three seasons for the club…Moved to Barcelona SC ahead of the 2016 season…Played four seasons with the club, scoring nine goals in 90 appearances across all competitions…Also owns one appearance for Tacoma Defiance of MLS NEXT Pro.
Barcelona SC (ECU): Moved to Barcelona SC ahead of the 2016 season…Played four seasons with the club, scoring nine goals in 90 appearances across all competitions…Made club debut on July 10, 2016, logging 90 minutes and helping record a clean sheet at Fuerza Amarilla SC…Scored in consecutive matches on Sept. 30 and Oct. 15, 2016, his first two goals for the club…Registered three goals over 39 appearances across all competitions in 2017…Played in nine matches during the 2017 Copa Libertadores, including all six fixtures in the knockout stage…Added 31 appearances with three goals in 2018…In final season with the club, logged 12 appearances with one goal in all competitions…Tallied in Copa Libertadores Second Round action at Uruguayan side Defensor SC…Registered first league assist against Delfin SC on April 21, 2019…Kept clean sheet in final appearance for the club on May 5, 2019.
Manta FC (ECU): Signed with Manta FC in 2012…Logged 55 appearances over three seasons for the club, scoring three goals…Saw first senior team action in 2014, making 12 appearances during the club’s top-flight season…Saw action in 43 matches in 2015 in Ecuadorian Serie B, tallying three goals.
Halley FC (ECU): Signed first professional contract with club in 2012…Made 12 appearances in lone season.
NATIONAL TEAM CAREER (ECUADOR): Capped 20 times at the senior international level, with one goal…Made international debut on Nov. 21, 2018, starting and playing 90 minutes in a 2-1 win at Panama…Donned captain’s armband for a friendly match at Argentina on Oct. 13, 2019…Notched first international goal and assist in World Cup Qualifying match against Colombia on Nov. 17, 2020…Included in Ecuador squad for 2019 and 2021 Copa America tournaments, but did not make an appearance…Named to the roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, serving as an unused substitute for all three Group Stage fixtures…Earned latest call-up for a pair of friendlies at Australia in March 2023.
PERSONAL*:\* Full name is Xavier Ricardo Arreaga Bermello…Bi-lingual in English and Spanish…Married with two children…Developed with Unión Española de Guayaquil from 2005-12, before moving to Halley FC.