Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders will face off in MLS Cup for the second straight year on Dec. 9, when the record-breaking Reds will look to avenge their 2016 title game loss to the Sounders at BMO Field.
TFC and Seattle are two of the most talented teams in MLS, and both improved significantly from the teams that squared off in last year’s MLS Cup. Toronto built on their 2016 squad by adding dynamic attacking midfielder Victor Vazquez, starting defender Chris Mavinga and valuable wing option Nicolas Hasler in 2017, while also seeing Alex Bono emerge as solid option at starting goalkeeper. Seattle added even more, with the Sounders bringing in Gustav Svensson, Will Bruin, Victor Rodriguez, Kelvin Leerdam, Nouhou and Harry Shipp, all of whom figure to play a role in MLS Cup.
Of course, how Toronto and Seattle built their squads extends well beyond this year. Here’s a full look at how the two MLS Cup finalists were assembled:
Toronto FC
2011 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Signed Ashtone Morgan as a Homegrown Player
2013 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Acquired Justin Morrow from San Jose via trade
- Signed Jonathan Osorio as a Homegrown Player
2014 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Acquired Michael Bradley from AS Roma via transfer
- Drafted Marky Delgado in the Chivas USA dispersal draft
- Drafted Nick Hagglund 10th overall in the SuperDraft
- Signed Jordan Hamilton as a Homegrown Player
2015 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Acquired Jozy Altidore from Sunderland via transfer
- Acquired Sebastian Giovinco from Juventus via transfer
- Drafted Alex Bono 6th overall in the SuperDraft
- Signed Jay Chapman as a Homegrown Player
- Signed Benoit Cheyrou as a free agent
- Signed Drew Moor as a free agent
- Acquired Steven Beitashour from Vancouver via trade
- Acquired Eriq Zavaleta from Seattle via trade
2016 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Acquired Armando Cooper on loan from Arabe Unido; Signed permanently in 2017
- Drafted Tsubasa Endoh 9th overall in the SuperDraft
- Acquired Clint Irwin from Colorado via trade; Re-acquired in trade from Atlanta after being selected in 2016 Expansion Draft
- Signed Tosaint Ricketts as a free agent
2017 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Signed Mark Pais from Toronto FC II
- Drafted Brandon Aubrey 21st overall in the SuperDraft
- Drafted Oyvind Alseth 65th overall in the SuperDraft
- Signed Sergio Camargo as a Homegrown Player
- Signed Raheem Edwards as a Homegrown Player
- Signed Ben Spencer as a Homegrown Player
- Signed Nicolas Hasler as a free agent
- Signed Jason Hernandez as a free agent
- Acquired Chris Mavinga from Rubin Kazan via transfer
- Acquired Victor Vazquez from Cruz Azul via transfer
Seattle Sounders
2009 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Signed Osvaldo Alonso from Charleston Battery
- Drafted Brad Evans in the Expansion Draft
2013 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Acquired Clint Dempsey from Tottenham via transfer
- Acquired Stefan Frei from Toronto via trade
- Acquired Chad Marshall from Columbus via trade
2014 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Signed Aaron Kovar as a Homegrown Player
2015 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Acquired Roman Torres from Millonarios via transfer
- Drafted Cristian Roldan 16th overall in the SuperDraft
- Drafted Oniel Fisher 40th overall in the SuperDraft
- Signed Tyler Miller as a free agent
2016 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Acquired Nicolas Lodeiro from Boca Juniors via transfer
- Signed Jordan Morris as a Homegrown Player
- Drafted Tony Alfaro 27th overall in the SuperDraft
- Acquired Will Bruin from Houston via trade
- Acquired Joevin Jones from Chicago via trade
- Acquired Harry Shipp from Montreal via trade
- Drafted Bryan Meredith in Re-Entry Draft Stage 1
2016 BUILDING BLOCKS:
- Signed Seyi Adekoya as a Homegrown Player
- Signed Jordy Delem from Sounders FC 2
- Signed Kelvin Leerdam as a free agent
- Acquired Callum Mallace from Montreal via trade
- Signed Zach Mathers from Sounders FC 2
- Acquired Lamar Neagle from D.C. United via trade
- Signed Nouhou from Sounders FC 2
- Acquired Victor Rodriguez from Sporting Gijon via free transfer
- Acquired Gustav Svensson from Guangzhou R&F via free transfer
- Signed Henry Wingo as a Homegrown Player
