Herculez Gomez

Herculez Gomez (born April 6, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward. He currently works as a commentator in both English and Spanish for ESPN.

Herculez Gomez
Gomez warming up for the United States in 2013
Personal information
Full name Herculez Gomez[1]
Date of birth (1982-04-06) April 6, 1982
Place of birth Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
2001–2002 Cruz Azul
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002 San Diego Gauchos 17 (17)
2002–2006 LA Galaxy 53 (16)
2003 → Seattle Sounders (loan) 17 (1)
2004 → San Diego Sockers (loan) 10 (5)
2007–2008 Colorado Rapids 37 (6)
2008–2009 Kansas City Wizards 34 (1)
2010 Puebla 15 (10)
2010–2011 Pachuca 29 (5)
2011 Tecos 16 (7)
2012–2013 Santos Laguna 45 (13)
2013–2015 Tijuana 21 (0)
2014 → Tigres UANL (loan) 15 (1)
2015 → Puebla (loan) 13 (1)
2015 Toronto FC 7 (1)
2016 Seattle Sounders FC 21 (0)
Total 350 (85)
International career
2007–2013 United States 24 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Gomez, the oldest of five children, was born in Oxnard, California[2] to Mexican-American parents.[3] He grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada,[4] and played on the soccer team at Las Vegas High School.[5]

Club career

Early career

Gomez started his career in 2001 with Cruz Azul of the Mexican Primera División on their second-division squad, and transferred to second-division team Aguilas Blancas de Puebla later that year. The following season, he returned to the Primera División with Durango. However, playing opportunities were scarce for him there. The Los Angeles Galaxy staff noticed him during a friendly match and he joined the team in September.[6]

MLS

Gomez broke his foot while on loan to the Seattle Sounders of the United Soccer Leagues, and recovery took a long time. When he was able to play again, he joined the San Diego Sockers of the Major Indoor Soccer League.[7] He returned to the Galaxy for the 2005 season on a developmental contract, and played well enough to make it to the first team. His big chance came when Landon Donovan was called up to the national team. Donovan's absence gave Gomez many more starts at striker, and he was able to shine as a breakout goal-scorer.[8]

He scored the game-winning goal in the 2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, then helped the Galaxy to a rare Cup 'double' when they also won the 2005 MLS Cup. Gomez ended the 2005 season with eighteen goals scored for the Galaxy (in all matches), and was voted by the local L.A. media as the year's Most Valuable Player.[9]

Early in the 2006 season, Gomez was moved to the bench with then-coach Steve Sampson. Sampson used Gomez as a midfielder to see if he could score goals running at defenses. After Sampson's firing, however, Gomez scored several times under new coach Frank Yallop, and ended that season with five goals.[10]

In December 2006, Gomez was traded to the Colorado Rapids along with Ugo Ihemelu in exchange for Joe Cannon.[11] He scored the first goal in the history of Dick's Sporting Goods Park in his first game for Colorado, a 2-1 win over D.C. United on April 7, 2007. Gomez tore his ACL during training with the Rapids in September of that year and underwent a lengthy recovery process.[12]

Gomez was traded to Kansas City Wizards in exchange for allocation money, a fourth round 2009 MLS SuperDraft pick and a first round 2009 MLS Supplemental Draft pick in September 2008.[13] His only goal for the Wizards was an injury time winner against San Jose Earthquakes, a must win game in their 2008 play-offs push.[14]

Mexico
Gomez playing for Santos Laguna in 2012

After being released by Kansas City in late 2009, Gomez signed with Mexican club Puebla in January 2010.[15] He scored ten goals in the 2010 Mexican season[16] to tie for the lead for most goals; this feat marked the first time any American player led a foreign league in goals.[17] He moved to Pachuca in the summer 2010 window.

Pachuca placed Gomez, along with its entire squad, on the transfer list.[18] During the transfer window he moved along with teammate Braulio Luna to Estudiantes Tecos.[19] Gomez scored his first goal for his new club in the second game of the Mexico Apertura season, coming in a 2-1 loss to San Luis.[20] On August 19, Gomez scored the winner as a sub against his former club Pachuca.[21]

Cash-strapped Estudiantes Tecos were forced into selling Gomez to league rivals Santos Laguna in December 2011.[22] Gomez scored 11 goals in his first 12 appearances for the team across all competitions.

With Santos Laguna's 2012 Clausura victory, Gomez became the first player to have won both the MLS Cup and the Primera División championship.[23] In 2013, he moved to Club Tijuana. After struggling with Tijuana, he was loaned to Tigres UANL for the 2014–15 season.[24] However, he ended the season poorly with only one goal. His loan was not extended.

Return to MLS

In August 2015, Gomez joined Toronto FC.[25]

After his release from Toronto at the beginning of the 2016 MLS season, Gomez joined Seattle Sounders FC.[26] He won MLS Cup for the second time in his career. He retired following the season and joined ESPN as an analyst.[27]

International career

Gomez was named to the United States roster for the 2007 Copa America and earned his first cap as a second-half substitute against Argentina, with his first start coming against Colombia.[28]

After a lengthy absence from the national team, Gomez was named to the provisional 30-man U.S. squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup after a highly productive club season in Mexico. He scored a goal for the U.S. national team in a 4–2 friendly defeat to the Czech Republic on May 25; the next day he was named to the final 23-man squad.[29] Gomez played in 3 out of the 4 games for the United States at the World Cup, including the round of 16 game against Ghana.

Gomez made his return to the national team in 2012, appearing in friendlies against Scotland and Brazil and scoring a goal against the latter. Later in 2012, he scored goals in World Cup qualifying against Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica

His last national team appearance came during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[30][31]

Broadcaster

In January 2017, Gomez announced his retirement from professional soccer, and joined the broadcasting team at ESPN. He typically appears as a studio analyst / pundit for ESPN FC, MLS games, and U.S. National Team games.[32] Also, he is the co-host of several podcasts, most notably the Max and Herc podcast with Max Bretos, where they discuss news around Major League Soccer and the United States national team, and the Two on Tri podcast with Sebastian Salazar, where they discuss the Liga MX, the Mexico national team, and Mexican players abroad.

He and Salazar also host "Fútbol Americas" on ESPN+.

Personal life

Herculez is the brother of MMA fighter Ulysses Gomez.[33]

Career statistics

Club
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
USA League Cup League Cup CONCACAF Total
2003LA GalaxyMajor League Soccer1000000010
2003Seattle SoundersA-League171004000211
2005LA GalaxyMajor League Soccer22114641003018
2006305100000315
2007Colorado Rapids204110000215
2008172000000172
2008Kansas City Wizards8100100091
2009260200000280
Mexico League Cup League Cup CONCACAF Total
2009–10PueblaLiga MX151000––1510
2010–11Pachuca29500––295
2011–12Tecos16700––167
Santos Laguna17700–662313
2012–1333800–1034311
2013–14Tijuana21000–43253
2014–15Tigres UANL (loan)15075––225
Puebla (loan)13172––203
Canada League Cup League Cup CONCACAF Total
2015Toronto FCMajor League Soccer710020–81
USA League Cup MLS Cup CONCACAF Total
2016Seattle Sounders FCMajor League Soccer2103110–251
Total USA/Canada 169251181210019233
Mexico 1313714700201216556
Career total 300622515121201235790

International
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States
200720
200800
200900
201062
201100
2012113
201351
Total246
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 May 25, 2010 Rentschler Field, East Hartford, United States  Czech Republic 2–2 2–4 Friendly
2 June 5, 2010 Ruimsig Stadium, Roodepoort, South Africa  Australia 3–1 3–1
3 May 30, 2012 FedExField, Landover, United States  Brazil 1–2 1–4
4 June 8, 2012 Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States  Antigua and Barbuda 3–1 3–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
5 September 11, 2012 Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, United States  Jamaica 1–0 1–0
6 July 5, 2013 Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, United States  Guatemala 1–0 6–0 Friendly

Honors

LA Galaxy

Santos Laguna

Puebla

Seattle Sounders FC

United States

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of Players: USA" (PDF). FIFA. June 12, 2010. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2019.
  2. Player Bio: Herculez Gomez Archived May 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on USSoccer.com. Personal information lists California as birthplace.
  3. "Herculez Gomez ready to give USA his best shot - USATODAY.com". USA Today. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  4. Herculez Gomez Represents What America Is All About (June 1, 2010). Huffington Post.
  5. Timeline: the improbable rise of U.S. candidate Herculez Gomez Archived May 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (May 24, 2010). Also notes he played for Neusport FC a youth club near Henderson, Nevada (a suburb of Las Vegas).
  6. "MLS alum Herculez Gomez living his unusual dream in Mexico - Luis Bueno - SI.com". Archived from the original on February 16, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  7. "A road to World Cup paved with heartache". Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  8. "Herculez Gomez lights up the nets in Mexico - ESPN Soccernet". Archived from the original on April 11, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  9. "Hispanic-Americans.com : Herculez Gomez Wins Mexican League Scoring Title". Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  10. "Buddle, Gomez named to final U.S. roster". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  11. "Galaxy acquire goalkeeper Cannon in trade with Rapids - USATODAY.com". Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  12. "Las Vegas' Herculez Gomez makes U.S. preliminary World Cup roster". May 11, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  13. "Gomez traded from Rapids to K.C. – The Denver Post". September 3, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  15. "Down the Byline: Herculez Gomez to Puebla FC". Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  16. "Pachuca signs American forward Herculez Gomez - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports". Archived from the original on May 24, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  17. "Gomez likely to train with Chivas USA | MLSsoccer.com". Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  18. "Mexican team Pachuca puts entire squad up for sale - Goal.com". May 4, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  19. Epperley, Drew (June 2011). "Mexican Primera Transfer Rumors: Herculez Gomez Moves To Estudiantes Tecos, DaMarcus Beasley Observes Pachuca Training". Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  20. "Mexican Apertura 2011 Round 2: Free-scoring Monterrey, Santos highlight exciting weekend - Goal.com". August 1, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  21. Gringo Report: Gomez scores last-minute winner for Tecos | MLSsoccer.com
  22. "Gomez headed to Santos Laguna". December 10, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  23. "Santos Laguna 2-1 Monterrey: Guerreros and Herculez Gomez hoist Clausura trophy". Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  24. "American Exports: Herculez Gomez completes loan move to Tigres UANL | MLSsoccer.com". Archived from the original on February 11, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  25. "TFC signs Hérculez Gómez". Toronto FC. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  26. Seattle Sounders add veteran striker Herculez Gomez | Seattle Sounders FC
  27. "Herculez Gomez Joins ESPN as Soccer Studio Analyst". January 17, 2017.
  28. "Gomez reignites career in Mexico - News - FOX Sports on MSN". Archived from the original on June 4, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  29. "Two Strikers Score Their Way Into the Picture". The New York Times. May 17, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  30. "Klinsmann Names 23-Player Roster to Compete in 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup". USsoccer.com. U.S. Soccer. June 27, 2013. Archived from the original on July 10, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  31. "Gold Cup: Herculez Gomez leaves US team ahead of quarterfinals". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  32. "HERCULEZ GOMEZ - ESPN MediaZone". espnmediazone.com. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  33. "Big month of May for the Gomez brothers | on the Mat | Worlds Largest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi and No Gi Belt Database". Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  34. "USA 1–0 Panama – as it happened". Guardian UK. July 28, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
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