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AFTER A 12-HOUR JOURNEY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC WITH LITTLE TO NO SLEEP, HE NETTED A HAT-TRICK—THREE GOALS—IN THE FIRST 25 MINUTES AGAINST BITTER RIVALS LEEDS UNITED. soccer player, with the potential for participating in the world’s most prestigious tournament, the World Cup. This left Gooch with an important decision: would he play for England, Ireland or the United States on a national level? Once a player commits to playing in a FIFA-sanctioned match with a national team, he can only be selected by that country for the rest of his career. “My father is English, my mother Irish, and I was born in the USA—and I played for the U.S. youth national teams on many levels, including [having] the honor of being captain for the Under-20 team,” he says. “My mom was always saying to me, ‘Ireland, Ireland,’ even
though she calls me her ‘American boy.’ I knew that whichever I chose, my biggest fan would always be there to support me, whatever color uniform I wore.” Gooch chose the United States, and made his debut for the team in November 2016 in a World Cup qualifying match against Costa Rica. Gooch played in nine Premier League matches for Sunderland last season, making four starts, and is now fit again after suffering ligament damage to his ankle. The kid from Santa Cruz is eager to return to the field in August for the start of the new season, when he’ll play in front of 40,000 adoring fans at Sunderland’s famed “Stadium of Light.”
PHOTO: NEIL PEARLBERG
For the next six years, Gooch spent every spring or summer break traveling to the United Kingdom to train with Sunderland youth academy teams. He chose to train with the youth academy at Sunderland because of the home-like atmosphere it offered foreign players, as well as the full education given to the younger players so that they had something to fall back on if their soccer careers did not pan out or were halted by injury. Meanwhile, in Santa Cruz, he played for New Brighton Middle School and then Soquel High. He sought a higher level of competition in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) and Breakers Academy, where he secured a place on the U.S. National Under-16, Under-18 and Under 20 soccer teams. The confident yet softly spoken midfielder signed a two-year scholar contract with Sunderland in 2011, at the age of 16, and a pro contract a few years later, in April 2016. By then 20 years old, Gooch made his Premier League debut for Sunderland away at Manchester City on the opening day of the season in August 2016. “I’ve always wanted to be a Premier League player and I’ve always wanted to play in England,” says Gooch, whose father is English and mother, Irene, is Irish. “I’ve got so many family members over here and it has always been my ultimate dream to play in the Premier League.” With a full lineup of coaches, sports scientists and physiotherapists monitoring each player’s body and diet, the team’s investment in each of their athletes is utilized to the maximum. Now stronger and faster, Gooch has become the second-fastest player in the league. The Santa Cruzan adapted to the English game quickly, and credits his father, a well-respected and veteran soccer coach, for preparing him for the pressures of playing professional soccer. “I have had many coaches since I began playing, but I have to thank my father—my best coach—for everything he has done for me,” Gooch says. Playing for your country is the highest achievement for any
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