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Pachuca signs Gomez

Herculez Gomez (HowardCSmithISI)

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

 

Herculez Gomez is currently in the midst of trying to play his way onto the U.S. World Cup team as he takes part in the national team pre-World Cup training camp, but he was also looking for a new club after playing out his contract with Puebla.

The search for a new club didn't last long.

Pachuca has signed Gomez, announcing the signing on its website late on Friday.

Gomez scored 10 goals for Puebla last season, earning a share of the Mexican League scoring title. His surprising success came after he left Major League Soccer club Kansas City on a free transfer. He signed a half-season contract with Puebla and made the most of the opportunity, recapturing the scoring touch he displayed when he helped the Los Angeles Galaxy win the 2005 MLS Cup Final.

Gomez will join U.S. national team midfielder Jose Francisco Torres on Pachuca, a perennial power in Mexico that will be playing in the Club World Championships later this year.

What do you think of Gomez joining Pachuca? Hoping he makes the World Cup team?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I believe he, like JFT and Edgar Castillo, are Mexican by way of one or both parents.

    Meaning, they don’t take up one of the five spots for foreigners, and if 23 or under, at least a percentage of their minutes count toward the youth participation rule.

    By the way, interesting article about dual nationality kids from the US going to Mexican youth teams at This is American Soccer.

    “Other side of the Mexican pipeline” or something like that.

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  2. i used to be a huge doubter of gomez, i thought that he just did well cause he was in the mexican league. but now that i have seen his highlights, i am extremely impressed. he makes really good runs, and most of his goals were just first touch shots, where he wouldn’t even have to settle the ball he would just shoot it from wherever he was, and it would just end up in the back of the net. i am quite impressed

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  3. If Gomez’ parent (s) are Mexican citizens then HG automatically gets his Mexican Citizenship. When my kids are born they will be Mexican Citizens thanks to my beautiful Mexican born wife!

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  4. signing Henry will do that. However, West Ham is now in the mix for Henry. In fact, suddenly players like Raul, Del Piero, and others rumored to have interest from MLS teams are being linked to Euro teams. We know where that leads: MLS being outbid for these fan-drawing players. Garber spoke of a flood of European players moving to MLS after the World cup. If it doesnt happen and attendance doesnt improve, Garber needs to be run out of town.

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  5. Mexican teams have a tendency to “naturalize” citizens because many fan bases are rather xenophobic when it comes to soccer. I don’t know if this is the case with pachuca, but it has been at Chivas guadalajara among others i believe

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  6. isnt Altidore the guy who relies on fouls? I mean, I’m pretty sure the number of goals he created for Hull coming from PKs far exceed goals from technical play. Great, now BBs gonna rely on two strikers whose main strength is attracting fouls. That shows the confidence BB has in the skill of American strikers

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  7. Like it!Pachchu-merica! (of course “America” in Mexico will have no part of that)

    Interesting that the Pachuca site displays his ‘nationality’ as Mexican.

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  8. Your going to have a hell of a time trying to come up with valid points for that argument taking into consideration that the league is surrounded by 1. More talented players 2. Better coaches 3. Established Youth development systems 4. Better fans. 5. Much larger payrolls.

    You may have a valid point with regard to the suspect defense in that particular league as demonstrated by the bottom half of their table.

    Having said that, if you take a look at the head to head competitions, there is really no comparison.

    So lets be real about the MLS for a second. I like the MLS, been watching since the inception of the league, however, You cannot compare apples to oranges.

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  9. I was in Pachuca for work a few years ago. I have all kinds of Pachuca gear. I went to their stadium and saw them play. It’s a great a great atmosphere.

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  10. Pachuca’s website:

    Full name: Herculez Gomez
    Position: Striker
    Date Born: April 6, 1982
    Birthplace: Los Angeles
    Nationality: Mexican

    wait a second….

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  11. What one who is not regularly following la liga will notice about pachuca is they prepare their roster to compete in the league AND the tournaments. They are routinely in ccf and copa libertatores. They come to win and take it very seriously. You rarely see that team sitting most of their key players to rest because of their opponant or the tourney…

    Pachuca (and chivas de Guadalajara) have long been my teams from Mexico.

    I’m very pleased about hg going there!

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  12. Good news for him. I really like Gomez. He seems like a down to earth guy who is really happy to just be there.

    Kind of curious that this comes during the World Cup preparation camp. I hope most of this was done by his agent.

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  13. Someone in MLS should have stepped up and gotten him. IF he makes the World Cup team, they could end up regretting it. Keeping the US national team members on MLS teams is just smart for the MLS.

    Everyone keeps talking about the World Cup bump, but I just don’t see it. Heroics from Gomez, playing in Mexico, is going to increase attendance to a MLS game ?

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  14. Exactly! We’ll see how far Pachuca get through this time around.

    With service from Manso and Alvarez, he has very good opportunity to break the 10 goal barrier in the next season with Pachuca. They are a team that creates a lot of chances via crosses.

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  15. Chances are Pachucaha can pay him more than he would have gotten in the MLS.

    Plus gets to partner with JFT , which will be helpful to his future with the USMNT, reagrdless of whether he makes it to SA or not.

    Finally, he clearly is comfortable in Mexico so why fix what ain’t broke?

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  16. apparently EJ has been injured for most of the camp, so i dont see him making the team, plus Greece is not a better league than Mexico

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  17. I read some where that under Mexican law if both parents are Mexican the child a Mexican national regardless of place of birth.

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  18. Lets be real, MLS is abetter league than Mexico. Mexico doesn’t play defense which helped to contribute to Herc’s all of a sudden being able to find the back of the net the instant he moved down south. Mexico is also an incredibly crappy league to watch for more than two seconds. So stuff it Mrs. Lady.

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