Sounders’ Raúl Ruidíaz says goodbye: " Seattle fans have the whole of my heart. "

On Friday released a video produced by the Sounders themselves on all their social medias of Raúl Ruidíaz saying goodbye after it's been known for weeks our all time goal scorer will leave. The Peruvian striker signed with the team in June 2018. His designated player contract wasn't renewed this month, making him a free agent. In 176 total appearances he scored 86 total goals, 72 in the MLS with a high of 17 goals in a season during 2021. Beating out pervious top goal scorer Colombian Fredy Montero. Whom he played with from 2021 to 2023.

“They have my heart,” Ruidíaz said in the video, translated from the Spanish language. “Not just part of it, Seattle fans have the whole of my heart. I want to say thank you. Thank you for all the support to me, to the team, to my family. You have a Peruvian family that will always support you dearly. I always wish you the best and all the best. I love you very much.”

The Peruvian striker did want to resign with the Sounders for 2025 but the Sounders wanted to move on after in the past 2 seasons Ruidíaz has struggled to recapture his form only having a total of 13 goals in his last 2 seasons compared to 28 in his first 2 seasons with the Sounders. . Ruidíaz also wasn’t as dependable due to multiple injuries, having 10 injuries total since 2021 compared to only 2 injuries total before that. But that doesn't change his amazing career with the Sounders. Beginning in 2018 he made a strong impression right off the bat by scoring 10 times in only 14 games. Quickly smashing Sounders records like He set club records for being the fastest to 10 goals in MLS play (in 14 games), and scoring in the most consecutive appearances (8 games). And he would keep up this form for the full season in 2019 that saw him score 15 goals in 26 appearances but none more notable Seattle's game clinching goal when they beat Toronto FC 3-1 in the MLS Cup final, helping the Sounders win their 2nd MLS Cup ever. And was even the top scorer in the playoffs. In the next 2 years he only got better as shown by him making the MLS All-Star team in 2021 plus 2022 and best MLS XI in 2021 and 2020. Scoring 12 goals in 2020 and 17 in 2021. But he and the Sounders most notable moment did not come on a national level but on a continental one.

“The two goals I scored in the final against Pumas, that was incredible,” Ruidíaz said in the video. “It was like a dream. Something I dreamed, then fulfilled it to win such an important tournament. So I was happy to have contributed in the most important moments.” In the second leg of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League Final, Sounders and UNAM were 2-2 heading to Seattle where Ruidiaz took advantage of home field advantage and came up big in the biggest moment of his career. He scored 2 of the Sounders 3 goals in a 3-0 win that saw them officially become the best club in North America in 2022 at home. The city's also given a lot back to him due to his hard work and heroics. He made $2.7 million in guaranteed compensation this season alone and has a home on the shore of Lake Washington with his 3 children. “The first thing I researched was the city,” Ruidíaz said. “I fell in love just looking at the pictures. Then I checked the team and saw that it was a team that was competing for tournaments almost every year since 2016, and it really caught my attention. But first of all, I fell in love with the city just by looking at pictures.”

“Always when one goes to a club always want to achieve glory, and the glory for me is to be able to win titles,” Ruidíaz said. “It is something that will always be remembered. So when I came to Seattle, I came with that mentality. Thank God I was able to make it, and I’m happy about that.”
Ruidíaz won 2 MLS Cups during his time in Seattle and of course the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League. “I feel we have a responsibility, the more experienced players, to be able to talk to the younger ones,” Ruidíaz said. “Telling a couple pieces of advice or simply making them feel a part of the group, it’s very important to them. I want them to achieve their dreams, and I want to that the most important thing is to believe in themselves.” And this is something he has accomplished. Cristian Roldan said this season was the healthiest his relationship has been with Ruidíaz. Most of the team also repeatedly said it was the closest the locker room has been in fact. Despite reports that Ruidíaz was upset with manager Brian Schmetzer and even getting banned from team activities.

Ruidíaz is directly credited with helping younger players such as midfielders Danny Leyva and Obed Vargas go from young promising players to becoming great pros. Leyva first signed with the Sounders at age 15 in 2019, and Vargas was called up for an MLS match at age 15 in 2021. Ruidíaz rebounded to score 8 times this season in 24 MLS appearances in a total of 14 starts. He played in Seattle’s 4 playoff matches, starting Game 2 of the team’s opening round sweep against Houston.

The Peruvian’s last stint in a Sounders jersey was subbing on in the 82nd minute of a 1-0 Western Conference final loss to the LA Galaxy last month. And we thank him for his amazing service in a Sounders shirt and I thank you for reading!