BRIDGEVIEW, IL–On Tuesday, Chicago Fire defender Brandon Vincent announced on his Twitter that he is retiring from professional soccer at the age of 24 and after three seasons with the Fire.
Today I am announcing that, effective at the end of the year, I will be retiring from professional soccer,” said Vincent. “This may come as a surprise to many, but I’m at a time in my life where it is best for me to move on from the game. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who helped turn a dream into reality. First and foremost, thank you to my family for the sacrifices you made that no one but us will know. Thank you to the Chicago Fire for the opportunity to be a part of the club for the past three seasons. My current and former teammates, thank you for making the locker room one to remember. Coaches, thank you for the valuable lessons. Thanks to all the support staff behind the scenes for your tireless work each and every day. Finally, to the supporters, a genuine thank you for your loyalty through our ups and downs. I truly respect your dedication to the club and its rich history of tradition, honor and passion. I hope you will soon get the chance to celebrate the success your support deserves. Chicago will always be a special place to me and I am forever grateful for the privilege I had of wearing the jersey and representing the city. I wish the club the best of luck and future success. Thanks for the incredible memories, Chicago! I can’t wait to see what life brings next.
Vincent made 94 appearances for the Fire in all competitions after being the fourth overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft which the Fire acquired in exchange for #1 overall pick Jack Harrison to New York City FC. Vincent scored three goals and 12 assists during his time with the Fire. Also in 2016, he was named to the MLS All-Star Team playing 33 minutes against Arsenal. He also earned his first cap for the US National Team in February of that year after finishing up at Stanford in a 1-0 win over Canada.
THOUGHTS: It’s been a while since a player in MLS announced his retirement at such a young age. However, what began as a promising career in 2016 soured considerable by the end of this season. Vincent was frequently used this season as a centerback where he was out of position and struggled mightily. It also leaves yet another hole to fill in the Fire defense that still has holes left over from the end of the 2017 season.
Fire president and general manager Nelson Rodriguez has his final media roundtable of the year on Thursday and Vincent’s shock retirement aside, there is simply a lot that Rodriguez has to answer for what happened both on and off the pitch in what will be known as SeatGeek Stadium next season in Bridgeview as owner Andrew Hauptman has maintained radio silence towards the media outside of press releases since 2014.
Chicago Fire
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August, 2024
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