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Herculez Gomez

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Herculez Gomez
Personal information
Full name Herculez Gomez Hurtado
Date of birth (1982-04-06) April 6, 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth Oxnard, California, United States
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 Estudiantes Tecos 16 (7)
2012–2013 Santos Laguna 45 (13)
2013–2015 Tijuana 21 (0)
2014 → UANL (loan) 15 (1)
2015 → Puebla (loan) 8 (1)
2015 Toronto FC 7 (1)
International career‡
2007–2013 United States 24 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 26, 2015
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 17, 2013

Herculez Gomez Hurtado (born April 6, 1982) is an American soccer player who last played for Toronto FC of Major League Soccer.

Early life

Gomez, the oldest of five children, was born in Oxnard, California[1] to Mexican-American parents.[2] He grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada,[3] and played on the football team at Las Vegas High School.[4]

Professional

Club career

Gomez started his football career in 2001 with Cruz Azul of the México 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 Primera División football with Durango. However, playing opportunities were scarce for him there, so he left, thinking he would quit football , but instead he joined the San Diego Gauchos of the USL D-3 Pro League in 2002, where he excelled, scoring seventeen goals in seventeen appearances. The Los Angeles Galaxy staff noticed him during a friendly match and he joined the team in September.[5]

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 football League.[6] He returned to the Galaxy for the 2005 season on a developmental contract, but 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.[7]

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.[8]

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.[9]

On December 1, 2006, Gomez was traded to the Colorado Rapids along with Ugo Ihemelu in exchange for Joe Cannon.[10] 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 was forced to undergo a lengthy recovery process.[11]

On September 3, 2008, 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.[12] 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.[13]

Gomez signed with Mexican club Puebla F.C. in January 2010.[14] He scored ten goals in the 2010 Mexican season[15] to tie for the lead for most goals; this feat marked the first time any American player led a foreign league in goals.[16]

Pachuca placed Gomez, along with its entire squad, on the transfer list.[17] During the transfer window he moved along with teammate Braulio Luna to Estudiantes Tecos.[18] Gomez scored his first goal for his new club in the second game of the Mexican Apertura season, coming in a 2-1 loss to San Luis.[19] Following this good performance, Gomez was included in the starting lineup for his side's next game against Club América at the Estadio Azteca. Gomez played the full 90 and hit the post with one shot, his side won 2-1 and gained their first points of the season.[20]

On August 19 Gomez started from the bench as his side faced former club Pachuca. Pachuca went up 1-0 in the 22nd minute but Tecos equalized in the 49th. Gomez came off the bench in the 67th minute and led his side to a 2-1 win, striking it past the onrushing goalkeeper after receiving a nice through ball.[21]

Cash-strapped Estudiantes Tecos were forced into selling Gomez to league rivals Santos Laguna, whom Gomez joined on December 10, 2011.[22] Since joining Santos Laguna, Gomez has 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 Xolos de Tijuana. After struggling with Tijuana, he was loaned to Tigres UANL for the 2014-15 season.[24] On July 19, 2014, Gomez made his official debut with Tigres in a 0-0 draw against Atlas de Guadalajara at the Estadio Jalisco. On October 25, 2014, he scored his first goal with Tigres, in the 2-2 draw against arch-rival C.F. Monterrey. However he ended the season poorly with only one goal. His loan was not extended.

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

International

Gomez warming up before a national team match against Belgium in 2013

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.[26]

After a lengthy absence from the national team, Gomez was named to the U.S. national team's provisional 30-man 2010 World Cup roster. 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 23-man roster for the 2010 World Cup.[27] Gomez played in 3 out of the 4 games for the United States at the 2010 FIFA 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 against Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica

His most recent national team appearances to date came during the the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[28][29]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
01. May 25, 2010 Rentschler Field, East Hartford, United States  Czech Republic 2–2 2–4 Friendly
02. June 5, 2010 Ruimsig Stadium, Roodepoort, South Africa  Australia 3–1 3–1 Friendly
03. May 30, 2012 FedEx Field, Landover, United States  Brazil 1–2 1–4 Friendly
04. June 8, 2012 Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States  Antigua and Barbuda 3–1 3–1 2014 World Cup qualification
05. September 11, 2012 Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, United States  Jamaica 1–0 1–0 2014 World Cup qualification
06. July 5, 2013 Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, United States  Guatemala 1–0 6–0 Friendly

Career statistics

Club

As of June 5, 2014[citation needed]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Canada League Cup League Cup CONCACAF Total
2003 Los Angeles Galaxy Major League Soccer 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2003 Seattle Sounders A-League 17 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 21 1
2005 Los Angeles Galaxy Major League Soccer 22 11 4 6 4 1 0 0 30 18
2006 30 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 31 5
2007 Colorado Rapids 20 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 21 5
2008 17 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 2
2008 Kansas City Wizards 8 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 1
2009 26 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 28 0
Mexico League Cup League Cup CONCACAF Total
2009–10 Puebla Liga MX 15 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 10
2010–11 Pachuca 29 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 5
2011–12 Estudiantes Tecos 16 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 7
Santos Laguna 17 7 0 0 0 0 6 6 23 13
2012–13 33 8 0 0 0 0 10 3 43 11
2013–14 Tijuana 21 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 25 3
2014–15 UANL (loan) 15 0 7 5 0 0 – 22 5
Puebla (loan) 13 1 7 2 0 0 – 25 3
Canada League Cup League Cup CONCACAF Total
2015 Toronto FC Major League Soccer 7 1 – 1 0 – 8 1
Total USA/Canada 131 24 8 7 10 1 0 0 141 32
Mexico 131 37 0 0 0 0 20 12 151 49
Career total 255 61 8 7 9 1 20 12 292 81

International

As of December 15, 2014
National team Year Apps Goals
United States
2007 2 0
2008 0 0
2009 0 0
2010 6 2
2011 0 0
2012 11 3
2013 5 1
Total 24 6

Personal

Herculez is the brother of MMA fighter Ulysses Gomez.[30] He is of Mexican-American heritage. Gomez is a Christian.[31]

Honors

Club

Los Angeles Galaxy
Santos Laguna
Puebla

International

United States

Individual

References

  1. ^ Player Bio: Herculez Gomez on USSoccer.com. Personal information lists California as birthplace.
  2. ^ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/worldcup/2010-05-11-gomez-worldcup_N.htm
  3. ^ Herculez Gomez Represents What America Is All About (June 1, 2010). Huffington Post.
  4. ^ Timeline: the improbable rise of U.S. candidate Herculez Gomez (May 24, 2010). Also notes he played for Neusport FC a youth club near Henderson, Nevada (a suburb of Las Vegas).
  5. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/luis_bueno/02/12/herculez.gomez/index.html
  6. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/06/a-road-to-world-cup-paved-with-heartache/
  7. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5063896/ce/us/herculez-gomez-lights-nets-mexico?cc=5901&ver=us
  8. ^ http://hispanic-americans.com/blogs/news/archive/2010/04/26/herculez-gomez-wins-mexican-league-scoring-title.aspx
  9. ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2010/05/26/2010-05-26_final_us_world_cup_roster.html
  10. ^ http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2006-12-01-galaxy-rapids-trade_x.htm
  11. ^ http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/may/11/las-vegas-gomez-makes-united-states-preliminary-wo/
  12. ^ http://www.denverpost.com/ci_10371668?source=rssdp
  13. ^ http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/08/2003091/former-wizard-gomez-takes-improbable.html
  14. ^ http://www.downthebyline.com/2010/01/herculez-gomez-to-puebla-fc.html
  15. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-pachuca-gomez
  16. ^ http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/gomez-likely-train-chivas-usa
  17. ^ http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/114/mexico/2011/05/04/2471127/mexican-team-pachuca-puts-entire-squad-up-for-sale
  18. ^ http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/6/1/2201486/mexican-primera-transfer-rumors-fmf-pachuca-estudiantes-tecos-herculez-gomez-demarcus-beasley
  19. ^ http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/114/mexico/2011/08/01/2600704/mexican-apertura-2011-round-2-free-scoring-monterrey-santos
  20. ^ http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/04/gringo-report-gomez-tecos-stun-am%C3%A9rica-azteca
  21. ^ http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/20/gringo-report-gomez-scores-last-minute-winner-tecos
  22. ^ http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2011/12/herculez-gomez-santos-laguna.html
  23. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/news/santos-laguna-2-1-monterrey-034400582--sow.html
  24. ^ http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/06/04/american-exports-herculez-gomez-completes-loan-move-tigres?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=News&utm_campaign=Unpaid
  25. ^ "TFC signs Hérculez Gómez". Toronto FC. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  26. ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/usa/story/040110-galarcep-gomez-reignites-career-in-mexico
  27. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/sports/soccer/17soccer.html
  28. ^ "Klinsmann Names 23-Player Roster to Compete in 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup". USsoccer.com. U.S. Soccer. June 27, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  29. ^ "Gold Cup: Herculez Gomez leaves US team ahead of quarterfinals". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  30. ^ http://www.onthemat.com/blogs-posts/big-month-may-gomez-brothers
  31. ^ "U.S. soccer team players open about their faith".
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