View source for Luchi Gonzalez

{{Short description|American soccer player and coach}}
{{For|the Argentine player|Lucho González}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Luchi Gonzalez
| image          = 
| birth_name     = Luis Aquilino Gonzalez<ref name="FIFA 2022">{{cite web |url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce44/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |title=FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: USA |publisher=[[FIFA]] |page=31 |date=November 15, 2022 |access-date=November 15, 2022}}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1980|7|14}} 
| birth_place    = [[Hialeah, Florida]], United States
| height         = 5 ft 8 in
| position       = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| currentclub    =
| clubnumber     =
<!--
| collegeyears1    = 1989–1998 | college1 = [[Miami Strike Force Soccer Club]]
-->
| collegeyears1    = 1998–2001 | college1 = [[SMU Mustangs men's soccer|SMU Mustangs]] | collegecaps1 = ? | collegegoals1 = 48
| years1         = 2002 | clubs1 = [[San Jose Earthquakes]] | caps1 = 8 | goals1 = 0
| years2         = 2003 | clubs2 = [[Bodens BK]] | caps2 = ? | goals2 = 8
| years3         = 2004 | clubs3 = [[Sporting Cristal]] | caps3 = ? | goals3 = 5
| years4         = 2005–2006 | clubs4 = [[Colorado Rapids]] | caps4 = 22 | goals4 = 2
| years5         = 2007 | clubs5 = [[Miami FC (2006)|Miami FC]] | caps5 = 26 | goals5 = 4
| years6         = 2008 | clubs6 = [[Minnesota Thunder]] | caps6 = 29 | goals6 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 1997 | nationalteam1 = [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U17]]
| nationalcaps1  = 3    | nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1  = 2012–2018
| managerclubs1  = [[FC Dallas]] (academy director)
| manageryears2  = 2018–2021
| managerclubs2  = [[FC Dallas]]
| manageryears3  = 2021–2022
| managerclubs3  = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] (assistant)
| manageryears4 = 2023–2024
| managerclubs4 = [[San Jose Earthquakes]]
| ntupdate       = July 10, 2019
| pcupdate       = July 10, 2019
}}
'''Luis Aquilino Gonzalez''' (born July 14, 1980) is an American [[Association football|soccer]] coach and former player who was recently the head coach of [[San Jose Earthquakes]] in [[Major League Soccer|MLS]].

==Youth and college==
Gonzalez was born in [[Hialeah, Florida|Hialeah]], [[Florida]], to a Peruvian father and an American mother.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/boehm-who-luchi-gonzalez-get-know-fc-dallas-homegrown-head-coach|title=Boehm: Who is Luchi Gonzalez? Get to know FC Dallas' homegrown head coach &#124; MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer}}</ref>

Gonzalez represented the [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U17]]s at the [[1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship]] making 3 appearances in their group stage exit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/round=191607/match=31601/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822213849/https://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/round=191607/match=31601/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 22, 2018|title=FIFA U-17 World Championship Egypt 1997 - Matches - Oman-USA|website=FIFA.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/round=191607/match=31609/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410133143/http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/round=191607/match=31609/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 10, 2017|title=FIFA U-17 World Championship Egypt 1997 - Matches - USA-Brazil|website=FIFA.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/round=191607/match=31618/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410133131/http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/matches/round=191607/match=31618/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 10, 2017|title=FIFA U-17 World Championship Egypt 1997 - Matches - USA-Austria|website=FIFA.com}}</ref>
He played four years of [[College soccer in the United States|college soccer]] at [[Southern Methodist University]], emerging in 2001, his senior season, to win the [[Hermann Trophy]] as college soccer's best player.{{cn|date=June 2021}} He had 128 points during his career, including 48 goals and 32 assists.

==Playing career==
Upon graduating, Gonzalez was drafted 6th overall in the [[2002 MLS SuperDraft]] by the [[San Jose Earthquakes]]. Gonzalez failed to make a mark with the Earthquakes, however, playing only 47 minutes in his rookie season. In the offseason he was acquired by the [[Columbus Crew]] and made the roster, but could not agree to a deal.

He left the United States for Sweden, where he signed with second-division club [[Bodens BK]].  Gonzalez scored 8 goals and had 4 assists in his first season in Europe; along with [[Leighton O'Brien]], Gonzalez was one of the most respected players in the squad.{{cn|date=January 2021}} He left Boden in late October 2003. 
Gonzalez joined Peruvian [[Sporting Cristal]], where he was acquired to be a backup striker. Gonzalez appeared in the prestigious [[Copa Libertadores]] tournament, playing against the likes of Boca Juniors during his time.

Gonzalez came back to MLS in 2005. He signed with the [[Colorado Rapids]], but following the 2006 season he was waived. He signed for [[Miami FC (2006)|Miami FC]] in 2007.

==Coaching career==

In December 2018, Gonzalez was named Head Coach of [[FC Dallas]] in MLS, earning a promotion from his academy director role. Gonzalez has adopted a style of play dubbed 'Luchi Ball' by fans, emphasizing possession and counter-pressing.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/soccer/soccer/2019/03/08/talk-luchi-ball |title=Let's talk about Luchi-Ball| publisher= DallasMorningNews.com| date= 2019-03-08|access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/04/01/usl-league-one-mls-how-luchi-gonzalez-got-fc-dallas-coaching-job |title=From USL League One to MLS: How Luchi Gonzalez got FC Dallas' coaching job |publisher=MLSsoccer.com |date=2019-04-01 |access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref>

Gonzalez coached Dallas to playoff appearances in 2019 and 2020. On September 19, 2021, he was fired by FC Dallas after missing the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fcdallas.com/news/fc-dallas-announces-departure-of-head-coach-luchi-gonzalez|title = FC Dallas Announces Departure of Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez &#124; FC Dallas}}</ref>

On December 4, 2021, Gonzalez was appointed assistant coach of the [[United States men's national soccer team]].<ref name="Luchi Gonzalez Appointed Assistant Coach of U.S. Men’s National Team"<ref name="Luchi Gonzalez Appointed Assistant Coach of U.S. Men’s National Team">{{cite web |title=Luchi Gonzalez Appointed Assistant Coach of U.S. Men's National Team |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/12/luchi-gonzalez-appointed-assistant-coach-of-us-mens-national-team |website=USSF |access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref> 

On August 17, 2022, it was announced that Gonzalez would take over as head coach of the [[San Jose Earthquakes]] prior to the start of the 2023 [[Major League Soccer]] season. He would officially join the club following the conclusion of the [[2022 FIFA World Cup]].

Gonzalez qualified his team to the [[2023 MLS Cup Playoffs|playoffs]] in his first season,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-jose-earthquakes-clinch-audi-2023-mls-cup-playoffs-spot |title=San Jose Earthquakes clinch Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs spot |work=MLS Soccer |date=October 21, 2023 |access-date=October 5, 2024}}</ref> but the Earthquakes were eliminated by [[Sporting Kansas City]] on penalties in the first edition of the Wild-card round as part of the new playoff format.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sjearthquakes.com/news/match-recap-earthquakes-0-2-sporting-kansas-city-0-4 |title=MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 0 (2), Sporting Kansas City 0 (4) |work=San Jose Earthquakes |author=Earthquakes Communications |date=October 26, 2023 |access-date=October 5, 2024}}</ref> However, in [[2024 Major League Soccer season|2024]], he was only able to coach his team to three wins in their first 19 matches and a placement at the bottom of the league table, and Gonzalez was fired on June 24.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/soccer/mls-earthquakes-fire-luchi-gonzalez/3574224/ |title=MLS-worst Earthquakes fire head coach Luchi Gonzalez |work=NBC Bay Area |first=Sanjesh |last=Singh |date=June 24, 2024 |access-date=October 5, 2024}}</ref>

==Coaching statistics==
{{updated|match played June 22, 2024}}{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"	
|+ Coaching record by team and tenure			
|-
! rowspan="2" |Team
! rowspan="2" |From
! rowspan="2"|To
! colspan="8" |Record				
|-	
!{{Tooltip|G|Games managed}}
!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
!{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}
!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
!{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}			
|-
|align=left| [[FC Dallas]]
|align=left|December 16, 2018
|align=left|September 19, 2021
{{WDL|87|29|26|32|for=129|against=121|diff=yes}}
|-
|align=left| [[San Jose Earthquakes]]
|align=left|January 1, 2023
|align=left|June 24, 2024
{{WDL|59|14|17|28|for=72|against=102|diff=yes}}
|-
!colspan="3"|Total
{{WDLtot|146|43|43|60|for=201|against=223|diff=yes}}
|}

==See also==
* [[List of MLS coaches]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Men's Soccer Academic All-America of the Year}}
{{Navboxes colour
|title=Awards
|bg=gold
|fg=navy
|list1=
{{M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Men's Recipients}}
{{Soccer America Men's Player of the Year navbox}}
{{EarthquakesFirstPick}}
{{2002 MLS SuperDraft}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Managerial positions
| list =
{{FC Dallas managers}}
{{San Jose Earthquakes managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Luchi}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:American soccer coaches]]
[[Category:United States men's youth international soccer players]]
[[Category:American people of Peruvian descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Peruvian descent]]
[[Category:Colorado Rapids players]]
[[Category:Sporting Cristal footballers]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes players]]
[[Category:Fort Lauderdale Strikers (2006–2016) players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Thunder players]]
[[Category:Bodens BK players]]
[[Category:USL First Division players]]
[[Category:SMU Mustangs men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes draft picks]]
[[Category:FC Dallas non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Hermann Trophy men's winners]]
[[Category:All-American college men's soccer players]]
[[Category:American expatriate men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:FC Dallas head coaches]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Peru]]
[[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Peru]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Hialeah, Florida]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Miami-Dade County, Florida]]