BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (Oct. 30, 2018) – Chicago Fire defender Brandon Vincent announced today that he will retire from professional soccer.
“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.”
In three seasons with the Fire, Vincent appeared in 85 regular season matches, scoring three goals and adding 12 assists. Additionally, Vincent made one postseason appearance and eight appearances in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, featuring in 94 matches across all competitions.
Selected by the Fire in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft after leading Stanford University to the 2015 NCAA Men’s College Cup, Vincent made his professional debut when he earned a start in the Fire’s regular season opener on March 6, 2016. Vincent’s rookie season was also highlighted by a selection to the 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Team, with the defender playing 33 minutes in the match against English Premier League side Arsenal FC.
At the international level, the Valencia, Calif., native earned his first cap for the United States Men’s National Team when he entered in the second half of a 1-0 win over Canada on Feb. 5, 2016.
