Omar González: “I want them to be Fire fans”
In MLS, roster moves late in preseason can ultimately have a huge impact on a team’s fortunes. Sometimes, the move seemingly comes out of nowhere. Sometimes, the signing was rumored. Others, the move was right in front of you.
That’s the case with Omar González, the newest veteran addition to the Chicago Fire’s roster. MenInRed97 first noticed the former U.S. Men’s National Team defender training with the team in late January. Media were told at the time that González was not with the Fire on trial.
Late the next week, the Fire announced that the former Designated Player – the first pure center-back DP in league history – had joined the team for the 2025 season.
Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter was clear about what he thought his former teammate with the L.A. Galaxy could bring to the team, saying “anytime you have that much experience… he’s played in World Cups. He’s won multiple MLS Cup championships, he’s won the CONCACAF Champions League, [a] Mexican first division title. So, you know, he’s been around the world. He’s won. Not only that, he’s 36 years old, and he’s still the first one in [to training] and the last one to leave. So it shows the younger guys a great example of what it takes to be a pro for that long.”
On top of three MLS Cup victories, winning the CONCACAF Champions League in 2017 and Liga MX’s Clausura 2016 title, González has two Supporters’ Shield titles and two CONCACAF Gold Cup victories to his credit.
On top of team honors, González has also won MLS Rookie of the Year (2009), MLS Defender of the Year (2011), and was named to the MLS Best XI four times (2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014), and CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI in 2017.
Here’s the new Fire defender about this stage of his career, his impressions of his new teammates, and gelling with the team’s young homegrown talent.
His role on the team: “I’m ready to give the team whatever is needed”
González is ready to play whatever role he's asked to on his new team (via Chicago Fire FC)
For years, González was a lock in the Starting XI if he was available. The center-back has played jus under 24,000 regular-season minutes in MLS and started in 266 of his 291 appearances. Still, those days may be behind him: He's made 15 appearances in each of the last two seasons, with 19 starts and 30 appearances in that span. Asked if he was ready to win a place in the XI, González was equivocal: “I’m ready to give the team whatever is needed. If I am in the starting eleven, I am [ready]. If I am on the bench, I am on the bench. I’ll be there [in training] delivering the ball the next day to continue working so that this group can continue to move forward.”
On a leadership role: “I’m going to try to keep this team even keeled”
The team has a cadre of young players, many of them homegrowns from the Chicago area on their first pro contract.
González is aware of the importance of mentorship with the young group, saying “I'm really excited to be a part of this group. You know, I played with Greg Berhalter back at the Galaxy, my rookie year, and he was a mentor of mine. And soccer has given me a lot. And in return, I've given it my heart and soul, and I want to do that for this club, I want to do that. For my teammates, I want to do that. What Greg Berhalter did for me, I want to be that, and I want to be a mentor to these young players. I want to be a good presence in the locker room, a good sounding board."
"There's going to be highs. There's going to be lows, but I'm going to try to keep this team even keeled and, and really, just be a good professional, so that we build the right environment and build a recipe for success.” He isn’t planning on doing that from afar, saying “I think it’s really important to know the young players, … because I’m a big believer that the relationship that you build off the field carry on to the field. So for me, it’s really important to get to know my teammates on a personal level. And from that, to get to hold each other accountable.”
He’s aware of the age difference, however, noting “even though I’m maybe almost twice as old as Christopher Cupps, you know, we can hold each other accountable once we build that level of trust, and once we get to know each other.”
On Fire’s young Hispanic players: “They have a high level, they are smooth”
Fellow center-back Carlos Teràn is one of the young players who have impressed Omar González (via Chicago Fire FC)
Asked about Brian Gutiérrez, Sergio Oregel Jr., and Carlos Terán, three of the Fire’s young Hispanic players, González had a lot of positive things to say.
Speaking in Spanish, Gonzalez said that “They have a very high level, they are smooth.” On Terán – who could be a potential center-back pairing for the former USMNT defender – he said “He has a lot of talent. Carlos is a beast on defense, he can be one of the best defenders in the league. With the ball, he is very good. He has all the characteristics to be a great player.”
“Brian Gutiérrrez is a young man who was selected to the United States national team, he is at a very high level and I am excited to see them both. Sergio is a talent as well, he comes from the academy and it will be interesting, because for me, he can be one of the Starting XI as well. So we have a lot of talent and I am excited to see how things go.”
Thoughts Jonathan Bamba as a person and player
González was impressed with Jonathan Bamba – both as a player and as a person. (via Chicago Fire FC)
Not all of González’s teammates are early in their careers, however. New Designated Player Jonathan Bamba is 28, in the prime of his career, and is the most high-profile signing the team made in the offseason.
Asked about Bamba, as with the young players, the first thing González noted was the human side. “My first impressions of Bamba have been really positive. He's. More than anything, just a wonderful human being. I think I've been more blown away by just what type of person he is. He's very humble. He asked a lot of questions to the rest of the group. He's very. Intentional about fitting in with the group.”
On the pitch, González has been even more impressed. “On the field, [he] speaks for himself. He's a very talented player who likes to play out wide in open space, and he's dangerous. He's going to be very dangerous for us getting in behind and also starting attacks.”
On connecting to Chicago’s Hispanic community: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of this community”
Like his LA Galaxy, his first MLS club, Fire have a lot of Hispanic fans and players, including Sergio Oregel Jr. (via Chicago Fire FC)
Although there are now numerous Mexican-Americans in the USMNT’s player pool, many of whom are also eligible to play for El Tri, that wasn’t the case when González came into the league.
During the 2014 World Cup, where González got two starts – including in the team’s Round of 16 knockout game against Belgium, the center-back was one of just two Mexican-American members of the USMNT squad along with backup goalkeeper Nick Romando.
Spending the early years of his MLS career with Los Angeles Galaxy, González also spent last year playing in his native Dallas, two markets which, like Chicago, have huge Hispanic communities and where the Latino community forms a massive part of the team’s fanbase.
Asked about his Hispanic background and the size and importance of that community in Chicago, González was clear about wanting to create a connection. “I only played for Dallas for one year last year, [and] I didn’t really get a chance to make an impact in the community, and so I really want to make an impact here in Chicago. There is a huge Hispanic population, Mexican population, and I want to meet the community. I want to be out there.”
His motives may not be entirely altruistic, saying: “I want to be out there. I want to get them to be Fire fans. I want them to come to games and support us.”
