After finishing 10th in the Supporters’ Shield standings and bouncing out of the MLS playoffs in the first round, it would be fair to say the Seattle Sounders’ season ended in somewhat disappointing fashion. But there were obviously some high points as well, with the highest being the Leagues Cup trophy they won in August.
But if you zoom out just a little, that Leagues Cup title was more important than the fact that it qualified the Sounders for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup and made them the first MLS team to win all five major domestic and continental titles.
It was during that six-game run where Andrew Thomas made the best case yet for being the Sounders’ goalkeeper of the future; Osaze De Rosario showed that he could translate MLS Next Pro success into first-team production; and Danny Leyva demonstrated he could carry the game when needed. Outside of that tournament, we saw glimpses of even more players who look ready to fulfill even bigger roles going forward.
(For level-setting purposes, I’d include Pedro de la Vega, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi and Paul Rothrock as players who broke out in one way or another this year.)
With that in mind, here are the players I think are poised for breakout seasons in 2026:
Andrew Thomas
I went back and forth on whether or not to include Thomas on this list. This was actually his second season of playing significant minutes and I think you can argue that he already “broke out” by winning the Best Goalkeeper Award in Leagues Cup. I ultimately included him because all signs point to him being the starter in 2026, which is clearly a major step up from the last two seasons when he’s played less than half the available minutes.
What’s a breakout season look like? Stefan Frei has averaged about 2,600 MLS minutes and nine shutouts during his 12 seasons with the Sounders. That’s probably the bare minimum I’d expect from Thomas who I think has potential to be the Sounders’ goalkeeper for the next 10 years.
Danny Leyva
It almost seems ridiculous to write, but this will be Leyva’s eighth season with the Sounders since he joined the team as a 15-year-old in 2018. I’m sure he’s been listed in columns like this one plenty of times before, but 2025 did seem like a genuine step forward for the 22-year-old. This was quietly the second most first-team minutes he’s logged in a season (1,009), he tied his career high for appearances (24) and set his career high with five assists. More importantly, he was asked to do more than he ever has been, even getting a start at the No. 10. Leyva was given some real responsibility this year and rose to the occasion.
What’s a breakout season look like? Assuming Obed Vargas gets moved this winter (not a remotely foregone conclusion), my assumption is that Leyva will get first crack at starting alongside Cristian Roldan. I’d expect him to play at least 2,200 minutes, approach 10 assists (especially if he’s taking set pieces) and finally get the goal than has long eluded him.
Georgi Minoungou
If Leyva is a player you have to really watch to appreciate, Minoungou is someone you can explain by dropping in a one-minute mixtape with a few of his best moments. When Minoungou is in the open field, he’s absolutely electric and borderline unplayable. We saw glimpses of that this year when he had two goals and four assists in about 850 minutes across all competitions. He then followed that up with a brace while playing for Burkina Faso in an international friendly against Benin. Still just 23, there’s genuine star potential here.
What’s a breakout season look like? The real challenge for Minoungou will just be breaking through a crowded position, but if he does it could be massive. I don’t see any reason why he can’t put up 15 combined goals and assists if he gets to 2,000 minutes.
