MLS Preview: Chicago Fire

Hooligan Soccer

·07 de fevereiro de 2025

MLS Preview: Chicago Fire

Club History

To say the Chicago Fire exploded into the league in 1998 as the MLS’s first expansion franchise would be an understatement. The club’s founding was announced on October 8, 1997, on the 126th anniversary of the Chicago Great Fire that devastated the city and provided their moniker. Was this a classy idea? Your mileage may vary.

But the inaugural squad went on to win the MLS double (MLS Cup and US Open Cup), an unprecedented achievement. They then went on to add three more Open Cup titles in the 2000, 2003 and 2006, as well as the Supporters Shield in 2003.

Vídeos OneFootball

Since then, however, Chicago have been less Fire and more Flame-out, reaching the playoffs only twice in the past fifteen years, with their latest drought now extending through its seventh straight season. A focus on revamping their brand, expanding their academy system and increasing their investment in player signings has yet to yield any dividends.

Ownership

Original owners AEG (founders of the MLS) sold their controlling interest to Andell Holdings in 2007. Andrew Hauptman became the chairman of the club until he sold his interest to Joe Mansueto in 2019, billionaire owner of Chicago-based financial and investment services firm Morningstar, Inc. The Fire have focused on revamping their brand, expanding their academy system, and increasing their investment in player signings to reestablish themselves as a top MLS club.

Notable Players

There are dozens of significant names to choose from for this list, eight of which the club has honored in their “Ring of Fire” Hall of Fame.

Piotr Nowak (Poland) – Midfielder The driving force behind Fire’s 1998 double trophy haul, Nowak spent four seasons at the club before retirement.
Fotios “Frank” Klopas (United States) – Forward Although he only spent two years on the field (1998-1999), Klopas has worked extensively with the club in the decades since. He has been head and/or interim coach of the Fire five different times.
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) – Forward The Bayern Munich and Manchester United legend finished his career with Chicago, appearing in 85 games and scoring 8 goals.
Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) – MIdfielder Famous for all the wrong reasons. His 2023 transfer fee of $7.5M was a club record but he was an unmitigated disaster of a Designated Player. They mutually parted ways mid-season in 2024.

Other Facts

Photo credit: Moses891 (Source)

Returned to Soldier Field, their original home, in 2020 after a 15 year hiatus.
Their four U.S. Open Cup wins remains one of the best records in the competition.
Their latest badge, unveiled in 2021, restored a classic look that pays homage to the city’s fire department. The Stylized C on their logo is similar to the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs
Owner Joe Mansueto also owns Swiss Super League club FC Lugano and the two clubs participate in player exchanges.
They compete in the “Brimstone Derby” against FC Dallas.
Winners of the “Wooden Spoon” in 2015 for the worst record in the league.

2024 Performance

The good news is that Chicago took swift action mid-season to jettison their biggest liability (DP Xherdan Shaqiri) and the brain trust behind their five-year malaise: Sporting Director Georg Heitz. Rather than knee-jerking into replacements for both, they took their time and kept their options open.

10W – 12D – 12L with 42 points. Finished 9th in the Eastern Conference and 18th overall. Lost in the Wild Card round to Columbus Crew 3-1
They also parted ways with 11 players right after this loss.

Who To Watch 2025

Since the DP position has been the source of so much Fire pain, expect scrutiny of anyone who occupies one of these slots.

Gregg Berhalter (United States) – Manager/Sporting Director Came on board in November 2024. This was a marquee signing, bringing in a heavyweight with so much pedigree and giving him nearly full control. If it works, it will be exciting. If it doesn’t…
Hugo Cuypers (Belgium) – Forward. DP. This lanky forward so far hasn’t been a standout signing, but his 12 contributions in 31 games last season weren’t terrible either. He will be in the spotlight this year, however.
Philip Zinckernagel (Denmark) – Winger. DP. The 30-year old has played for nine different clubs; Fire is his tenth in twelve years.
Leonardo Barroso (Portugal) – Defender. This 19-year old center-back comes out of the Sporting CP academy and has already featured 35 times for his country at the U20 and younger levels.