Toronto FC Signs Herculez Gomez

Toronto FC announced Friday that the club has signed American international forward Hérculez Gómez. Prior to signing, the club acquired the right of first refusal from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for allocation money. As per club and league policy, terms of both deals were not disclosed. He will be added to the roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and Canadian work permit.
Gómez, 33, joins Toronto FC after most recently playing for Puebla Fútbol Club (Puebla F.C.) of Mexico’s Liga MX. Gómez spent the past season on loan at the club where he made 13 appearances and scored one goal. Puebla F.C. captured the Copa MX: Clausura 2015. “Adding a player with Hérculez Gómez experience and ability was very important at the deadline. He is a proven winner having won both the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup with LA Galaxy. He has also won domestic titles and played in the finals of the CONCACAF Champions League while playing in Mexico,” said Toronto FC General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “He is an accomplished goal scorer and we will benefit from having someone of his pedigree join Toronto FC.”
Gómez began his professional career with Cruz Azul Fútbol Club, A.C. (Cruz Azul) in 2001, on the second-division squad. He moved to San Diego Gauchos of USL Premier Development League for the 2002 season and made 17 appearances for the club scoring 17 goals. Following his time with the Gauchos, Gómez signed with LA Galaxy where he remained with the team from 2002 – 2006 making a combined 66 appearances, registering 23 goals, six assists featuring in MLS league play, MLS playoffs and U.S. Open Cup matches. During the 2005 season, he scored the game-winning goal in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Finals and helped LA capture the double when they won the MLS Cup. During the 2003 season, he spent time on loan with Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division. Gómez was later traded to the Colorado Rapids where he spent two seasons with the club (2007-2008) appearing in 37 matches, registering six goals and three assists. On April 7, 2007 in his first game for Colorado, Gómez scored the first goal in the history of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in a 2-1 win over D.C. United. Gómez was acquired in a trade by the then Kansas City Wizards on September 3, 2008. He scored an injury time winner against the San Jose Earthquakes, helping the Wizards qualify for the 2008 MLS Playoffs. He remained with the team until 2009 making a total of 37 appearances across all competitions registering one goal and five assists.
Following his time in the MLS, Gómez signed with five different Mexican Liga MX Clubs from 2010-2013 Puebla F.C., Club de Fútbol Pachuca (C.F. Pachuca), Club de Fútbol Tecos de la Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (Estudiantes Tecos), Club Santos Laguna S.A. de C.V. (Santos Laguna) and Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente (Club Tijuana). With Puebla F.C. he appeared in 15 matches registering 10 goals in all competitions (2010). In 2011, Gómez appeared in 34 matches registering five goals across all competitions with C.F. Pachuca. He then moved to Estudiantes Tecos and appeared in 16 matches scoring seven goals in Liga MX Apertura (2011). With Santos Laguna, Gómez appeared in 61 matches registering 22 goals across all competitions. He helped Santos Laguna capture the Mexican Primera División: Clausura 2012 as well as finishing runner-up in the 2011–12 and 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League. During the 2013 season, Gómez appeared in 15 matches registering three goals with Club Tijuana. Gómez went on two separate loan spells, in 2014 with Club de Fútbol Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (Tigres UANL) and most recently with Puebla F.C..
Gómez has earned 24 caps for the United States National Team and has scored six goals. He made his debut with the U.S. as a substitute on June 29, 2007 during a 4-1 defeat in the 2007 Copa América group stage match against Argentina. Gómez featured in both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was part of the team that captured the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.