4 unheralded players who helped TFC, Sounders reach MLS Cup final

Big-name stars are the call of the day in the 2016 MLS Cup final as Jozy Altidore, Sebastian Giovinco, and Michael Bradley take on Nicolas Lodeiro, Jordan Morris, and Ozzie Alonso at BMO Field on Saturday.

But those stars wouldn't be able to compete for glory if not for the collective efforts of teammates.

Here are four unheralded players who helped Toronto and Seattle reach the MLS Cup final:

Nelson Valdez

While Morris and Lodeiro make up the brunt of the Sounders' attacking ranks these days, the two most certainly wouldn't be able to compete for the MLS Cup if not for the goal-scoring heroics of Valdez.

The Paraguayan striker scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City in the one-off Knockout Round, then opened the scoring in a 3-0 win over FC Dallas in the Conference Semifinals.

Calling a Designated Player "unheralded" is a bit strange, but those two goals have been the only two he's scored in 2016. Despite playing in 24 regular-season matches, Valdez showed up when his team needed him most.

Tosaint Ricketts

No single Toronto FC player has been as influential coming off the bench as Ricketts, and the Canadian attacker has been instrumental in his team's playoff triumphs without needing significant minutes on the field.

Neither of Ricketts' goals have proved game-winners in the traditional sense but they most certainly put the matter to bed when things got testy for Toronto.

He rounded off a 7-0 aggregate thumping of New York City FC, teed up Bradley with an assist for a crucial away goal against the Montreal Impact, then scored the padding goal in an eventual 7-5 win over Toronto's bitter rival in the second leg at BMO Field, all while coming off the bench.

Cristian Roldan

Roldan doesn't score many goals, nor does he record many assists. He doesn't grab headlines, doesn't court controversy on or off the field, and doesn't make much of a fuss when he's moved into different positions.

What Roldan does have is a keen sense of his surroundings, a healthy balance of offensive and defensive traits, and the confidence of teammates as he operates, now in the middle of the park. And it's those factors that make him indispensable for Brian Schmetzer's side.

He does the little things, and does them well, supporting Alonso when on the back foot and then turning around and supporting Lodeiro on the attack. His is very much a supplementary game and one that often goes unnoticed. But take him out of the picture and the Sounders become disjointed.

Nick Hagglund

Much has been made of Toronto's new-look 3-5-2 formation, but the biggest benefit Toronto FC has seen is the presence of Hagglund in the back line.

Simply put, Hagglund has been a beast in the air for Toronto. He's won roughly 65 percent of his duels and tackles and has a pair of key assists, finding Giovinco for his hat trick against NYCFC, and for an eventual Jonathan Osorio game-winning goal against the Philadelphia Union.

But it was this incredible rising header goal, which gave Toronto FC a lifeline against Montreal, that cemented his importance for the side. It's certainly worth another watch: