Luis Gil

Luis Gil matured into one of Real Salt Lake’s most reliable players in 2013, excelling in his new role as a full-time starter following the December 2012 departure of Will Johnson to the Portland Timbers. The 20-year-old Gil has improved each year since signing with RSL in 2010, with 2013 proving to be the best season of his career. The California native set career highs in games played, games started, minutes played and goals scored. Gil made a total of 30 league appearances for RSL, 24 of which were starts. The young midfielder notched five goals and three assists – more than he has recorded in his past two years combined. Gil’s second goal of the year – a header off of a cross from Joao Plata – against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on May 4, 2013 earned him MLS Goal of the Week. Gil played and started in all five of Real Salt Lake’s postseason games.

The California native was ranked the second best MLS player under the age of 24 by MLSsoccer.com in 2013.

Gil was also named to the U.S. roster for the FIFA U-20 World Cup held last summer. Gil received wide praise for his performance throughout the tournament, and even scored a beautiful curler from outside the box in the Americans’ 4-1 defeat to Spain on June 21, 2013. The midfielder also received his first call up to the U.S. Men’s National team when he was included in USMNT Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s roster for the team’s annual January camp in 2014.

Gil will continue to play a large role for RSL in 2014 as he continues to grow with the Claret-and-Cobalt and gain more national team experience.

Acquired

RSL: Via trade on Feb. 23, 2010 from Kansas City Wizards in exchange for 2011 MLS SuperDraft selection, an International Player roster slot, and future transfer fee considerations

Professional Career

2014: Gil finished the year with two goals and two assists in 26 appearances in his fifth season with RSL.  He had two lengthy stretches in a starting role, starting the first five matches of the season and then six in a row in June and July.  He is now at 10 goals and eight assists in 110 career MLS appearances.

2013: Played in 30 games – 24 of which were starts – recording a total of 2060 minutes in the regular season … Scored five goals and registered three assists for the Claret-and-Cobalt … Finished the regular season with 15 shots – the fifth-highest for RSL in 2013 … Set career highs in games played (30), games started (24), minutes played (2060) and goals scored (five) …  Recorded an assist on the game-tying goal in RSL’s 1-1 draw with Colorado Rapids on March 16 … Scored the game-winning goal – his first goal of 2013 –  in a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders FC on March 30 … Scored in a 2-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on May 4 … Scored RSL’s first goal as a sub in a 2-2 draw with Philadelphia Union on July 3 … Provided an assist in RSL’s historic road win against FC Dallas on July 13 … Recorded an assist in a 2-2 draw with Colorado Rapids on Aug. 3 … Notched a goal in RSL’s 4-0 rout of Columbus Crew on Aug. 24 … Scored the first goal in a 4-2 win over Portland Timbers on Aug. 30 … Earned MLS Goal of the Week for his header against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on May 4

2012: Saw his playing time continue to grow, setting career highs in minutes played with 1,610, games played with 29 and games started with 19 … Scored one goal in league play, finding the back of the net in RSL’s 2-0 win over New York on March 17 at Rio Tinto Stadium … Registered a career high three assists in league play, tallying helpers on April 7 against Colorado, May 12 at Seattle and July 7 against Portland, all RSL victories … Played at both the top and the side of the diamond in Jason Kreis’s midfield, proving to be more than capable at both positions … Started RSL’s first seven games and eight of the team’s first nine … Started the final four games of the regular season … Appeared in one of RSL’s two playoff games, coming on in the 85^th minute of the second leg of the Claret-and-Cobalt’s Western Conference Semifinal series loss to Seattle Sounders FC

2011: Became a regular contributor during second professional season, starting 14 of his 25 regular season appearances and scoring twice … Early-season experience gained in MLS Reserve League (6GP/5GS, 434 mins.) and U.S. Open Cup play (90 min. on 6/28 v. Wilmington) helped the 17-year-old gain more match experience in the RSL system , readying him for the major minutes soon to come … While mostly manned the top point of RSL’s midfield diamond, the versatile Gil also spent some time on the outside of the diamond and at forward … Made official MLS debut on 3/26 v. LA, playing the final 13 minutes in helping RSL close out a dominant 4-1 victory in Sandy … First start in League play came on 6/11 @ PHI, playing 83 min. in a 1-1 draw at PPL Park … Scored first goal on 8/06 v. NY, his low laser from 25 yards out beating Frank Rost in the 44^th minute and counting as the middle tally in a 3-0 win … Starting nod against the Red Bulls was first of seven straight appearances in Jason Kreis’ starting XI … Tallied again two weeks later on 8/20 @ HOU, his header off Espindola’s cross at the hour mark giving RSL its second lead in a match it would eventually drop 2-3 … Appeared in all three of RSL’s playoff contests off the bench, totaling 22 minutes of action … Postseason debut came on 10/29 v. SEA, playing the final 6 min. in a massive 3-0 win in Leg 1 of the Western Conf. Semifinal Series.

2010: Did not play in regular season action, but logged 75 combined first-team minutes in one appearance each in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League play … Acquired via trade from KC on 02/23/10 in exchange for a 2011 conditional SuperDraft pick, an international player slot (one season) and future transfer fee considerations … Made 18-man gameday roster for first time for RSL’s Open Cup qualifier on 4/14 @ SJ, but did not see any action …Left RSL camp to train with U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team at The Home Depot Center from April 25-May 2 … Started and played 62 minutes, his first in an RSL uniform, in RSL’s 1-1 friendly draw with the Mexican U-21 Nat’l Team on 5/15 … Joined the U.S. U-18s for the Lisbon International Tournament from May 21-31 … Met his RSL teammates in the Nation’s Capital just in time to make his official first-team debut in Open Cup qualifying play on 6/02 @ DC, logging the two added extra time periods in the 1-2 OT defeat … Played final 24 minutes in RSL’s 2-0 exhibition win over Puntarenas F.C. (Costa Rica) on June 19 … Would spend three months with AC St. Louis (USSF Div. II) on loan in July/Aug/Sept, during which he scored once across nine appearances (five starts) and totaled 445 minutes of action … Made his St. Louis debut on 8/14 v. Portland, playing final 14 minutes off the bench in a 0-1 defeat … Made his first professional goal on 9/18 v. Austin count, his 93^rdminute strike counting as the game-winner in a 2-1 triumph … Returned to Wasatch Front following USSF D-2 season in early October … Started and played first 45 minutes of RSL’s 3-1 home win over Cruz Azul on 10/19, helping the Utah side become the first MLS team to win a CCL Group Stage in nine such tries.
 

International Career

U.S. Senior MNT: One of three RSL players to participate in the USMNT’s January 2014 camp, training under U.S. Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann for three-and-a-half weeks in Carson, Calif. and Sao Paulo, Brazil … Earned his first cap on Feb. 1, 2014, coming on in the 75^th minute of the U.S.’s 2-0 friendly win over Korea Republic at StubHub Center
 

U.S. Youth National Teams: Has represented the United States on over 40 occasions … U.S. Under-23s: Participated in U-23 identification training camp based in Germany in Nov. 2011 … Appeared in one contest during the trip, captaining a side consisting of the younger members of the camp to a 3-3 draw with Azerbaijan … U.S. Under-20’s: Started all three of the U.S.’s matches at the 2013 U-20 World Cup in Turkey … Was widely considered the U.S.’s best player at the tournament, and scored a cracking goal in the Stars-and-Stripes’ 4-1 loss to Spain in the group stage opener … Helped the U.S. qualify for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring two goals (1 G v. Haiti, 1 G v. Canada) and adding an assist in three games at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Puebla, Mexico … Called into two separate training camps ahead of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in the winter of 2012-13, training with the U-20’s for a week in South Florida in December and a week in Puebla, Mexico in January …  Called in for the Marbella Cup in Spain in October 2012, playing one game before leaving the tournament early to re-join RSL for its playoff push … Entered U-20 player pool as part of 36-player camp in mid-December 2009 … Expected to play a big role on Tab Ramos’ U-20 team that will attempt to qualify for this summer’s FIFA U-20 World Cup at the CONCACAF U-20 Championships in Puebla, Mexico in February … Made U-20 debut with 90-minute effort in opening game of Copa Chivas tournament in Guadalajara v. Pachuca on 1/22/10, scoring the USA’s lone goal in the 1-3 defeat … Also made appearances on 1/23 v. Brazil (1-1 T), 1/24 v. Tigres (0-1 L), and 1/26 v. Atlas (1-1 T) … Played in two contests during May 2011 training trip to France, scoring once in a 3-3 draw against their French counterparts in exhibition play … U.S. Under 18’s: In February 2011, jumped from RSL’s preseason camp to the U.S. U-18 camp, both based in Phoenix, the U-18 portion from Feb. 12-20 … Played  in first two of USA’s three contests at the prestigious 2011 Northern Ireland Milk Cup in July 2011 … Assisted on second goal in USA’s 2-0 win over Israel in the Milk Cup opener on 7/25/11 and followed that up with a 90-minute performance two days later in a 1-1 draw against Mexico … Spent portions of 2010 juggling schedule between club and country, first joining the U-18’s for a camp under head coach Mike Matkovich at The Home Deport Center from 4/25 – 5/02 … Few weeks later, joined the U-18s for the Lisbon International Tournament in Portugal from May 21-31 … Captained the U.S. U-18’s during the tournament in a 0-1 L v. Norway on 5/27 … After entering at half, helped set up game’s lone goal in the USA’s 1-0 win  on 5/28 v. Romania (Victor Chavez, 74’) …  U.S. Under 17’s: Made 32 appearances (5 goals) for the U.S. U-17s after joining the Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. for the Spring 2008 semester … Made 18 appearances in 2009, scoring 4G & 4A en route to being named U.S. Soccer’s Young Male Athlete of the Year … Registered one assist while serving in the playmaking role in each of the USA’s four contests in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria … Was the youngest member of the United States squad at the tournament … Assisted on Nick Palodichuk's goal in the Round of 16 match against Italy on 11/04/09,  a 1-2 L that bounced the USA from the competition … His four goals were second best on the team in 2009 … Went the full 90 minutes in Group Stage matches on 10/26/09 v. Spain (1-2 L), 10/29/09 v. Malawi (1-0 W), and 11/01/09 v. United Arab Emirates (1-0 W) … Performance in Nigeria garnered attention from such European giants as Arsenal and Real Madrid.

High School/Club

Grew up in Garden Grove, Calif. and played for SoCal youth soccer powerhouse Pateadores, whose roster of alums includes RSL teammate Kwame Watson-Siriboe and fellow pros Maurice Edu, John Thorrington and Dan Califf.

Personal

Southern California native is a huge fan of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, something that occasionally gets him stick with Utah Jazz fans