Marlon Vargas named MLS NEXT Pro Best XI

Marlon Vargas enjoyed a breakout professional campaign with a team-leading 12 goals and six assists while leading the Tacoma Defiance to their best-ever finish. As a result, he has been named to the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro Best XI, it was announced on Friday. The honor was determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches and chief soccer officers, as well as league-wide broadcasters and content producers.

Vargas first joined the Sounders Academy in 2016 and signed his first professional contract at 17 years old in 2018 with what was then called Sounders 2. During his first four professional seasons, he compiled 65 appearances with four goals and seven assists. Fresh off his first call-up to…