Gonzalez with the Galaxy in August 2010 |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Omar Gonzalez | ||
| Date of birth | October 11, 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Dallas, Texas, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Los Angeles Galaxy | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001-2006 | Dallas Texans Soccer Club | ||
| 2005 | IMG Soccer Academy | ||
| 2006–2008 | Maryland Terrapins | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2009– | Los Angeles Galaxy | 87 | (5) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005 | United States U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2007 | United States U20 | 3 | (2) |
| 2010– | United States | 2 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 19, 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Omar Gonzalez (born October 11, 1988 in Dallas, Texas) is an American soccer player. He played youth soccer for the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.
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Gonzalez played college soccer at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he won the 2008 College Cup championship, was named to the NSCAA/adidas All-American First Team and First Team All-ACC, and was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2007.
Gonzalez was drafted in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by Los Angeles Galaxy. He made his professional debut on March 22, 2009, in Galaxy's first game of the 2009 MLS season against D.C. United,[1] and scored his first professional goal on April 4, 2009, in a 3-2 loss to Colorado Rapids.[2] Gonzalez was awarded the MLS Rookie of the Year Award for his performances in the 2009 season.[3] He was named to the 2010 MLS All Star team. He continued his fine form in the 2011 MLS season, forming the heart of the Galaxy's league-best defense, along with goalkeeper Josh Saunders.
As a youth, Gonzalez represented the U.S. at the Under-17 and Under-20 levels. In 2005 he played at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Peru, and in 2007 he played for the U.S. Under-20’s at the Pan-American Games, scoring twice in the USA's 4-2 loss to Bolivia.
On December 22, 2009, Gonzalez received his first call-up to train with the senior US national team. On August 10, 2010, he made his international debut in a friendly, starting against Brazil.
However, on October 6, 2011 in an interview with ESPN's U.S. National team soccer blog Gonzalez announces he is still open to playing for Mexico. "Why not?" Gonzalez told U.S. National team soccer blog earlier that week. "Mexico is strong right now, very strong. If something were to come along, I'm definitely going to listen."
The son of Mexican parents, Gonzalez holds a Mexican passport, as well as dual citizenship. Omar attended Sidney Lanier Elementary School, where his mom is a teacher, W. E. Greiner Middle School and Skyline High School in Dallas, TX.[4]
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