10 Fittest U.S. Soccer Players

Herculez Gomez, Forward

Club Team: Pachuca (Mexico)

5’ 10’’ | 165 lbs

Though he’s not the highest scorer on Team USA’s forward lineup, Herculez Gomez, 30, from Nevada, has a unique ability to mentally pull it together when other players lose their grip. On Tuesday’s win against Jamaica, he got the only goal in minute 55 on a free kick, securing his second goal in this year’s qualifying play, and his fifth international goal since his debut on the national team in 2010. Perhaps his mental strength comes from seven seasons in Major League Soccer, but one thing’s certain: no matter how organized (or unorganized) Team USA’s field play is, it needs finishers like Gomez to score the points. At the end of the day, a high possession percentage that yields a bunch of missed shots on goal doesn’t count. A ball in the back of the net does.