Former Seattle Sounders forward Herculez Gomez announced his retirement on Tuesday. He will join ESPN as an analyst for the network’s English- and Spanish-language networks.
“I’m so grateful for the years that this game has given me, and I’d like to say thanks to every coach, teammate and fan that has helped me along the way,” said Gomez. “It’s never easy to close the book on your playing career, but I’m very excited to join ESPN and continue to grow the game of soccer throughout the U.S. and Mexico.”
Gomez, 34, spent the final season of his 15-year career with the Sounders, appearing in 21 regular-season games with nine starts, as well as coming on as a substitute twice during the run to MLS Cup. The club opted not to exercise his contract option following the conclusion of the season. This past year was his second stint in Seattle after spending the 2003 season on loan with the USL Sounders.
“I’d like to thank Herculez not only for being a valuable member of our championship squad last season, but also for his contributions to this game over the past 15 years,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “I’ve known Herc a long time, and I have no doubt he will continue to be a valuable asset to the soccer landscape in this country going forward. On top of that, he’s a unique personality with a great perspective, so I’m excited to watch him on ESPN.”
Gomez’s new role sees him primarily serve as a pundit on ESPN FC, ESPN’s daily soccer news, highlights and information program, as well as a studio analyst for the network’s coverage of Major League Soccer, the U.S. Men’s National Team and other international soccer competitions. On ESPN Deportes, he is set to appear on signature soccer studio programs Fuera de Juego and Futbol Picante.
Gomez will make his ESPN FC debut on Tuesday on ESPNEWS at 3 p.m. PT, joining host Dan Thomas and analysts Alejandro Moreno and Shaka Hislop at MLS Media Day in Los Angeles to discuss his career and retirement. On Jan. 29, Gomez will work his first U.S. Men’s National Team match for ESPN, providing studio analysis from USA vs. Serbia (1:00 p.m. PT, ESPN2) in San Diego.
Gomez spent 2002-09 in Major League Soccer, scoring 24 goals in 124 games for the LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids and Kansas City Wizards. He won two MLS titles (2002, ’05) while with LA and scored the game-winning goal in the 2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
From 2010-15, Gomez played in Mexico’s Liga MX, suiting up for Puebla, Pachuca, Estudiantes Tecos, Santos Laguna, Tiguana, Tigres UANL and then Puebla again. His 10 goals in his debut Clasura season in 2010 tied for the league lead, which made Gomez the first American to lead a foreign league in scoring.
Gomez’s success in Mexico helped earn him a spot on the United States’ 2010 World Cup roster. He totaled six goals in 24 caps during his seven-year international career.
Gomez returned to MLS toward the end of the 2015 season, scoring once in seven games for Toronto FC before signing with Seattle in 2016.
