This may not have been the way Herculez Gomez saw this offseason playing out, but it does seem fitting. On the same day that the 34-year-old announced his retirement from playing, it was also announced that he would be joining ESPN as a pundit and color commentator.
Gomez’s 15-year professional career saw him start out with humble beginnings, but ended with him having made a World Cup roster, becoming the first American to win a Liga MX Golden Boot and claiming a pair of MLS Cup titles. Although Gomez mostly came off the bench in what turned out to be his final season, he did play in 23 matches — including two in the playoffs — as the Sounders won their first-ever MLS Cup.