‘One of the Best’—Nico Lodeiro Bids Farewell After Revolutionizing MLS | OneFootball

An era of MLS ended on Saturday night in Houston.

While Lionel Messi’s brilliance has dominated headlines since he joined Inter Miami CF in 2023, few players have been as formative for the league over the last decade as Nico Lodeiro.

After parts of 10 seasons in the league, the 38-year-old Lodeiro wrapped up his MLS career with his 241st appearance on Saturday in Houston Dynamo FC's 1–0 win against St. Louis CITY SC, and was honored with a pre-match ceremony.

He is set to rejoin his boyhood club Nacional in the summer transfer window.

The Uruguayan midfield maestro joined the Seattle Sounders in MLS in 2016, having previously played for the famed Argentine side, Boca Juniors. He instantly became one of the league’s most exciting players and a critical piece to the Sounders’ success.

With over 231 appearances in all competitions for Seattle, he helped lead the team to MLS Cup titles in 2016 and 2019, as well as the Concacaf Champions League title in 2022, before bidding his farewell in 2023.

Individually, he also earned MLS Best XI honors in 2018, 2020 and 2022 and was a finalist for the Landon Donovan MVP in 2020.

“My time here in MLS means a lot, and this is a very emotional time,” Lodeiro told reporters on Saturday. “I grew a lot. I feel very happy to have been part of MLS, and I enjoyed playing in this league.

“I want to say thank you to the league, to my teammates, to my former teams, Seattle, Orlando and Houston, and all the teams in MLS. I really want to remark on the respect I have for the fans here in MLS.”

Farewell to Seattle Sounders

While the Dynamo’s pre-match ceremony on Saturday gave him a fitting bookend, it paled in comparison to the reception he got in his farewell match against the Sounders in Seattle in May.

At that point, the memories flooded back. The 58 goals and 62 assists, curling free kicks, sold-out Lumen Field crowds, and all the success that he authored in front of the rambunctious Emerald City Supporters, encapsulated in a few final cheers ahead of kickoff.

However, while his departure from Seattle marked a new era for the Sounders, it also marked the start of the end for Lodeiro, who went on to an underwhelming 46-game tenure with Orlando City SC before playing 13 games with the Dynamo this season.

Revolutionized MLS

Nico Lodeiro's time in MLS changed the way teams see superstars. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

His farewell to the league, though, is far more significant.  His transfer revolutionized strategies for Designated Players across the league, prompting other clubs to look further into South America for their stars, rather than to Europe.

At the same time, it also showcased a team's ability to spend significantly outside of more experienced and famous names, as was the case ahead of Lodeiro and his two-time MLS Cup final opponent, Sebastian Giovinco, on Toronto FC.

Without Lodeiro, the league wouldn’t be in the place it is at 30 years old in 2025

“We are going to miss Nico and we are thankful for his service in Houston, and more importantly, for his service to MLS. He is one of the best players this league has ever seen, and it was a real joy to work with him,” Dynamo head coach and MLS legend himself, Ben Olsen, said Saturday.

“Nico is a great example for some of our young players to watch and learn from his longevity and mentality. I feel lucky to cross paths with him, and I will be a Nico fan as he goes forward.”