Chicago Fire FC Homegrowns Brian Gutiérrez and Chris Brady were named to the 2023 MLSsoccer.com 22 Under 22 list, presented by BODYARMOR, the League announced today.
Gutiérrez was ranked fifth, while Brady was listed at No. 17, marking the first time both players were named to the annual list. Gutiérrez’s ranking marks the second straight year in which a Fire player was voted into the top-five, while Brady was the only goalkeeper recognized on this year’s list. Highlighting the top players in the League under the age of 22, the list is voted on by an expert panel consisting of MLSsoccer.com analysts, MLS Player Department staff and external media members.
Gutiérrez, 20, currently leads the team with a career-high nine assists this season, while also adding two goals in 31 appearances (27 starts). Gutiérrez is one of two players aged 22 or younger in MLS with nine or more assists this season, with 22-year-old Atlanta United FC midfielder Thiago Almada leading the League with 17 assists. In addition, Gutiérrez is the third Homegrown Player in Club history to lead the team in assists in a single season, joining Harry Shipp (2014-15) and Djordje Mihailović (2020).
In his first full season as the starting goalkeeper for the first team, Brady, 19, has appeared in 29 regular season matches (29 starts) for the Fire in 2023. With eight shutouts in MLS play this year, Brady ranks tied with current goalkeeping coach Zach Thornton (1998, 2003) and Matt Lampson (2017) for the sixth-most clean sheets in a single season in Club history. Additionally with 91 saves, Brady has recorded the most denials by a Fire goalkeeper in a single season since 2014 (Sean Johnson – 96).
Gutiérrez and Brady were two of five Homegrown players promoted from the Chicago Fire Academy at the start of the 2020 MLS season, signing their first professional contracts at 16-years-old. Gutiérrez has played in 87 matches (53 starts) for the Fire since 2020, while Brady has made 30 appearances (30 starts) across the last two seasons for the first team.
The Fire will return to League play on Saturday, Oct. 21 for its regular season finale against New York City FC on MLS Decision Day. Beginning at 5 p.m. CT at Citi Field, the match will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, and will be transmitted locally in English on wlsam.com and in Spanish on TUDN 1200 AM.
