FC Dallas signs free agent defender Omar Gonzalez

The Dallas native looks to wrap up his MLS career in his hometown.

Photo via New England Revolution

FC Dallas has signed free-agent defender Omar Gonzalez to a contract through the 2024 season, with a club option for the 2025 season, the club announced today. 

The Athletic’s Tom Bogert was the first to report the signing on Tuesday evening. Gonzalez most recently played with the New England Revolution, where he appeared in 37 games across two seasons. Last season, Gonzalez featured 18 times in the regular season for the Revs, scoring his lone goal of the season on September 17 against the Colorado Rapids.

“I am extremely excited and proud to be joining FC Dallas after leaving the area at the age of 15. When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance to come back home,” said FC Dallas defender Omar Gonzalez in a press release issued by the club. “This is a full circle moment. When I broke the news to my family in our group chat, I said to them, ‘the kid is coming home a man.’ It is special to be reunited with them in Dallas. I am thrilled to join the organization and to work together to put a star over the FC Dallas crest.”

Gonzalez most notably played for the LA Galaxy during their heyday of the early 2010s. He joined the LA Galaxy in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft and went on to play 180 regular-season games for them, winning the MLS Cup in 2011, 2012 and 2014. Gonzalez was named the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2009 and the MLS Defender of the Year in 2011.

He played three seasons in Liga MX with Pachuca. Gonzalez also won the 2017 Concacaf Champions League with Pachuca after defeating Tigres UANL. Gonzalez helped Pachuca finish third in the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017 after convincingly defeating United Arab Emirates side Al-Jazira 4-1 on December 16, 2017. He then returned to MLS in 2019 to play with Toronto FC.

On the national team front, Gonzalez was a consistent call-up with the United States men’s national team. He represented the United States at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and four CONCACAF Gold Cups, winning the 2013 and 2017 edition.

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