For Chicago Fire II midfielder Matteo Kidd, home is just over a four-hour drive south from SeatGeek Stadium.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Kidd grew up around the game of football from a very early age. Although St. Louis is predominately known for its history producing talent in baseball and hockey, the football scene piqued Kidd’s interest more than anything else.
With various academies surrounding the city, many Missouri products have to find their way up the professional ranks through academy systems, as well as developing at the collegiate level.
That was exactly the case for Kidd.
“Yeah, I mean, the soccer scene around the area was pretty unbelievable,” Kidd cited. “It's pretty incredible to see the growth of the sport in St. Louis, and how the whole community has just engulfed it and created this amazing environment.”
For Kidd, it took time to become the footballer he is today.
Growing up, there was no first-tier football club in St. Louis. The closest thing to Major League Soccer at the time was Saint Louis Football Club, who played in the third division of USL from 2015-2020. As a result, Kidd would attend Division I matches as a fan of St. Louis University, only one of four universities in Missouri that had college soccer at the elite level.
After taking a gap year, Kidd decided it was time to go the college route and try to someday earn himself a professional contract.
It was only fitting that Kidd would ultimately attend SLU in 2017, who at the time was led by Mike McGinty, former backup goalkeeper for the Chicago Fire in 1998 and 2003.
“SLU was definitely my number one choice through and through,” Kidd mentioned. “(Mike) McGinty just took me in and showed me the ropes. Then Kevin Kailash, who was a coach at St. Louis Scott Gallagher, ended up taking over my freshman year and has really developed a great environment. They're just continuously producing pros.”
SLU recently had four first round picks in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. With the four picks, they became just the third to produce that many MLS first round picks after Wake Forest University in 2010 and University of Akron in 2011.
After four years of service for the Billikens, Kidd finished with over 45 appearances and two goals as a member of his hometown university. Kidd ultimately decided to make the jump to professional football. In his journey, he found himself heading to the Windy City.
In 2021, Kidd signed his first pro contract with Chicago House AC.
At the time, Chicago House AC was playing in the National Independent Soccer Association. The House was assembled by Peter Wilt, the mastermind behind the 1998 Chicago Fire team that completed the Double, and captured the MLS Cup as well as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title in their first season.
“I got called up in the middle of the summer when I had nowhere else to go, and Matt Poland really helped develop me into the player I am today,” Kidd mentioned.
During his time there, he met C.J. Brown, who was serving as the House’s first head coach. He was also the technical director at the time.
“I have nothing but amazing things to say about C.J. (Brown),” Kidd praises. “Mainly because he's really been there for me in every aspect that I could ask for.”
In his first professional season, Kidd recorded 18 appearances (13 starts) in the team’s inaugural season. He credits a lot of his success to the coaching style of Brown.
“He was such a leader on the field for the Fire and helped bring championships here and I can see that in his coaching style,” Kidd said. “He's always telling you the truth about what you need to work on and consistently talking about how to become a better person.
“I'm really happy to have him in my corner because he's really developed me more into a man and more into the person that I want to become.”
Shortly after their first season, Brown was hired by Ezra Hendrickson to return to the Fire and serve as the assistant coach. He would bring Kidd with him as well.
On March 23, 2022, Kidd was signed by Chicago Fire FC II, the MLS NEXT Pro side of the Club. He would serve as one of the veteran leaders on a team that was filled with young talent that the Fire had been developing in their academy.
Brown thought he was a perfect fit. And he was right.
“Looking at him from then when I was coaching him, to now, what they've done with him here at the Fire has been like night and day,” Brown praised. “His game has progressed so much, he's cleaner on the ball, his ideas are much clearer and looks like he's making a lot of good chances, so it’s been great to see.”
So far this season, Kidd has appeared in four of the team’s five matches. Additionally, Kidd scored the first goal of the season, and his first as a member of Chicago Fire FC II in the 3-1 victory against Inter Miami CF II on March 26 at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
As the first team approaches their highly-anticipated matchup against Kidd’s former side, he looks forward to watching his two clubs collide for a chance to advance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament.
“I'm just excited for the city,” Kidd mentioned. “I feel that soccer is growing in the community, especially in Chicago and I think people are really starting to figure that out. I think it will help the whole community develop.”
“Who doesn't want to watch an Open Cup game between an amateur team versus an MLS team?,” Kidd added. “I couldn't be more excited to see them play.”
Chicago Fire FC is set to host Midwest Premier League side Chicago House AC in the third round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, April 26 at 7 p.m. CT at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Ill.
