When Josh Atencio took the field for Sounders FC in the 2021 MLS home opener, it was the first time many fans of the Rave Green had ever seen him play.
Atencio, a 19-year-old Homegrown Player from Bellevue, immediately garnered national attention with his composed, intelligent play as he patrolled the midfield in the 4-0 win over Minnesota United and 1-1 draw at LAFC.
While Atencio was earning his first starts at the MLS level in those matches, his professional career actually began in 2018, when he made his debut for the Tacoma Defiance – then called S2 – in the USL Championship.