Omar Gonzalez

Omar Gonzalez, 2010

Omar González ( born October 11, 1988 in Dallas, Texas) is an American football player at the position of a defender. He stands at Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer ( MLS), the top division in the North American Soccer, under contract.

The 1.96 m tall defender Recke, who is also in possession of Mexican nationality, announced on 11 August 2010 his senior team debut for the United States.

• 2.1 Individual successes
• 2.2 Maryland Terrapins
• 2.3 Los Angeles Galaxy

Career

Beginning of his career with the Dallas Texans and college career

The son of Mexican parents was born in 1988 in the third largest city in the state of Texas, as one of four children. From his siblings played a sister, Anna Luis, in the women's volleyball team at Louisiana Tech University. His active career as a football player González began at a young age, when he was the Dallas Texans, one of the most successful U.S. Youth Soccer clubs joined. In addition to his time with the Dallas Texans, where he won awards including in 2005 by the United States Youth Soccer Association ( USYSA ) in his age group as All-American, he was also at the Dallas Skyline High School and their football team integrated. He previously visited but already the Sidney Lanier Elementary School as well as the WE Greiner Middle School in Dallas. Above all, his mother Mary, it has thanks to Omar Gonzalez to have made the later way into professional football and in the various U.S. youth teams. In this case, her son was at a residence in Florida from his footballing ability and was taken on the same evening by U.S. scouts into U.S. Soccer 's U17 residency program will be promoted in the young American players. After recording the program González moved to the Bradenton Academy Bradenton, Florida. His academic career, he continued there at St. Stephen 's Episcopal School, which has a partnership with IMG.

In 2006, finally followed Gonzalez's admission to the University of Maryland in College Park, although he also from other universities, such as St. John's University (New York), Southern Methodist University, the University of Virginia, Clemson University, Santa Clara University had and the Michigan State University received a Stipentium, but decided for the site in Maryland. In Maryland, he attended the College of Letters and Sciences and was also from 2006 to 2008 in the college football team, the Maryland Terrapins, as a defender active. In his freshman year González came in 22 games for use, of which he stood from the beginning for each individual on the lawn, scored one goal and had three assists. There he played, among other things on the side of Maurice Edu, Graham Zusi, AJ DeLaGarza, Rodney Wallace, Jeremy Hall, Stephen King or Chris Seitz and came at the end of his first season, along with his teammate Jeremy Hall and the ACC All- Freshman Team and in a more regional or country selection. In his sophomore year, González started again in all of its 21 championship matches and was also selected for a goal and an assist for the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. It also managed González along with Stephen King at the end of the NSCAA / adidas All-American Third Team.

In his senior year followed in 2008 for the U.S. Mexican-American dual citizenship due to its outstanding performance, the election to the NSCAA / adidas All-American First Team as well as election to the All- ACC First Team. Previously, he won with the team already the NCAA Men 's Division I Soccer Championship in 2008, the championship in the men's football of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA) after the final game against the North Carolina Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Pizza Hut Park 1-0 defeated. Before that, in the 25 championship matches they had a series of 22 wins and only three defeats. Due to its outstanding performance in the final and throughout the tournament away González was awarded the same evening as the best defensive player in the entire tournament. Furthermore, it was in this year also a semi-finalist in the Hermann Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best college football player or the best college football player. Over the entire game 2008, he came in his junior year in 26 league games for use, in which he scored five goals and had one assist.

As a 3rd pick to Los Angeles Galaxy

After his college education Omar González arrived in the MLS SuperDraft in 2009, where he was drafted as the third overall pick in the first round of the MLS Franchische Los Angeles Galaxy. Only slightly more than two months after taking the team gave the tall defender his MLS and simultaneously pro debut when he 22 March 2009 in a 2-2 home draw against DC United from the start and over the full period was used. His first professional matches, he scored shortly thereafter on April 4, 2009, when he hit the opponent's goal by an executed corner kick from Landon Donovan header. The game against the Colorado Rapids was still almost lost with 2:3. With the team he reached the final table in the regular season in the Western Conference the first place and made ​​it also with the team in the MLS Cup in 2009, where Real Salt Lake to a 1-1 draw in normal time and extra time only lost on penalties with almost 4:5.

In the past season he was the only Galaxy player, who came in all 30 league games for use. He was in the first 29 games over the full duration in use and had until the final game after an hour on the field due to injury leave the field. In addition, González made ​​several simplifying internal records, it is, for example, the rookie with the most from the outset completed championship matches, as well as the rookie with the most completed game minutes. In addition, he is one of two Galaxy rookie players with the most completed championship matches in a season. Overall, the team got this season 31 goals, only half as much as last year, which allows for as close to the outstanding talent of the young defender.

After he still had a base salary of $ 65,000 in 2009, and he deserved a guaranteed fee of $ 142,000, his base salary improved in subsequent years already $ 80,000 and the guaranteed sum to $ 157,000. In the game 2010 González came to date (as of August 12, 2010 ) in 18 championship matches are used, scored one goal and is ranked currently with the team ranked 1st in the Western Conference. In mid-July 2010, the defense Recke was appointed to the squad that should attend Game of the Year 2010 at the MLS All -Star. In the game 28 July 2010 González was used in the entire second half; the match against Manchester United ended in a 2:5 defeat of North Americans.

On January 5, 2012, the 1st FC Nuremberg announced the signing of González on loan. González was originally intended to return to Los Angeles on February 15. One day after his obligation he retired at his first training session a torn ACL, and it then went for an operation and rehabilitation back to Los Angelas.

Internationally

His first international experience gained González in 2005, when he was first appointed to the U.S. U- 17 team, with whom he still took part in the U- 17 World Cup in Peru in the same year. There coached by John Hackworth team made ​​it to the quarter-finals and was eliminated there against the age colleague from the Netherlands with 0:2 from the current competition. Soon after, the American- Mexican dual nationality came into the U -20 team in his home country and played with this, among other things, the Pan American Games in Brazil in 2007, where he among other things at a 2:4 defeat to the U-20 National Team Bolivia scored two goals.

After Gonzalez was first brought on 22 December 2009 in the senior national team of the United States by the U.S. A-National coach Bob Bradley, he played from that time on some training sessions with the national team, but was at first without the use. His debut for the senior national team finally gave González on August 11, 2010, when he came into use in the 0-2 defeat against Brazil before a crowd of over 77,000 fans at the New Meadowlands Stadium. He played over the full duration by.

Achievements

Individual successes

• USYSA All-American: 2005 ( as a player of the Dallas Texans )
• ACC Defensive Player of the Year: 2007 ( as a player of the Maryland Terrapins )
• NSCAA / adidas All-American First Team: 2008 ( as a player of the Maryland Terrapins )
• All- ACC First Team: 2008 ( as a player of the Maryland Terrapins )
• MLS Rookie of the Year: 2009 ( as a player from Los Angeles Galaxy)

Maryland Terrapins

• Winner of the NCAA Men 's Division I Soccer Championship: 2008

Los Angeles Galaxy

• MLS Cup finalist: 2009

Quotes

" Omar had a great season load- year Which was reflected by him being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He is a tremendous athlete and Has improved each season, Which We expect to continue. I believe he wants to be the best center back in the country by season 's end. "

" Omar had last year (note: 2007) a great season, which has been selected as " reflected ACC Defensive Player of the Year. " It is an indescribable athletes and has been shown in every season that he can continue to develop. I am sure that he will be the end of the season the best central defender in the country. "