Watch: Sounders legend Nicolas Lodeiro's emotional Seattle return

There was Fredy Montery and Freddie Llungberg, Clint Dempsey and Ozzie Alonso. But the player who transformed the Seattle Sounders from the club climbing the mountain to the one conquering it was Nicolas Lodeiro.

From the day Lodeiro arrived in the middle of what was becoming a wayward 2016 campaing, to the day he departed seven-and-a-half seasons later, Lodeiro was part of one of the greatest eras of any MLS club in history.

The Uruguayan international -- along with the newly appointed Brian Schmetzer -- immediately helped reverse the Sounders' wayward course, eventually leading Seattle to the 2016 MLS Cup final in a dramatic penalty shootout win at Toronto. And by 2022, Seattle had won two MLS Cups, reached four finals and become the only MLS side in the modern era to win a Concacaf club title, beating Pumas UNAM in the 2022 Champions League final.

So as you might imagine, it was an extremely emotional occasion when the now-36-year-old celebrated a belated birthday by making his first return to Seattle in an opposing uniform in Saturday's clash with the Houston Dynamo. And the Sounders were ready with a moving pregame tribute. Here's the video from longtime Sounders beat reporter Niko Moreno:

Lodeiro also was a two-time Concacaf Champions League Best XI, and earned MLS Best XI honors in 2020, the same season he helped Seattle to its fourth MLS Cup final. He's now in his first season in Houston, following a season with Orlando City.

Lodeiro has one goal in five appearances (three starts) for the Dynamo, whom he is being tasked with helping to stabilize following the departures of Hector Herrera and Adalberto Carrasquilla.

On Sunday, he hepled the Dynamo earn a second consecutive away draw, playing 67 minutes for Houston before exiting to another hefty ovation from the crowd of 31,239.

Lodeiro's homecoming was the second historic Sounders fixture in as many matches. Two weeks ago, Jordan Morris became the Sounders' all-time leading goal scorer with his 87th in all competitions in a 5-2 victory over the LA Galaxy on March 8.