Christian Gomez might soon need to add on to his family's Ashburn, Va., townhouse.
No, the soft-spoken Argentinian and his wife Claudia are not expecting a new arrival, and their twin children have yet to hit their teenage growth spurts. But if the playmaker continues to pile up honors and awards at his present rate, his trophy case will surely require an expansion.
Already a two-time MLS All-Star and a member of the 2005 MLS Best XI, Gomez also holds a 2004 MLS Cup championship ring as proof of his pivotal role in securing D.C. United's fourth league title.
This year, he's already gotten his hands on the club's Golden Boot and Fans' Choice awards and was named D.C.'s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season, an honor that was further validated by his match-winning goal in United's first-leg conference semifinal match at New York on Saturday.
As the best player on the best club in MLS, his teammates and coaches are convinced that Gomez should be a mortal lock for league MVP as well.
"All you've got to do is watch the first game of the playoffs and see who the MVP of the league is," said striker Alecko Eskandarian. "He definitely picked us up and got us a big goal on the road. I think it cements his worth and his value to our team, and we take a lot of pride in having the best record in the league. So hopefully that counts for something."
Gomez's 77th-minute chip over Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway helped United take the first step in what the team believes will be a deep postseason run, and provided yet another reminder of the 31-year-old's indispensable value to the Black-and-Red.
"I have no doubt that he deserves to be the league MVP, because no other player has such an impact in a leading team in our league," said D.C. coach Peter Nowak, who played a similar role for the successful Chicago Fire sides of the late '90s. "My vote goes for him for sure, and not only because I am his head coach, but considering my past, I can see the difference he is making in this league. He's a very humble person, a very approachable person, great around the fans, great around teammates."
MLS history is littered with tales of highly-hyped foreign acquisitions who failed to produce, yet the unheralded Gomez prospered almost immediately after arriving from Primera Division side Arsenal de Sarandi in his homeland.
"When you go to a new country, it's a difficult transition, starting with a new culture, a new language, a new standard of living," he said. "But the key for me has been the great treatment I've received from the club, as far as helping me adapt to a new country, a new club. Not just with myself but with my family - I think that has really helped me concentrate on the soccer part, knowing that my family is taken care of."
It took some time for Nowak and his staff to fully realize the value of their late-season addition in 2004.
"The first week we were like 'who is this guy?'" said Nowak. "But after about two weeks, actually, we had one practice and if you ask the players, everyone remembers this -- we played some games and he scored like nine or 10 goals, but crazy goals, like upper 90, this, that, [nutmeg] the players, 'meg the 'keeper -- it was just incredible stuff we saw. And he gained the respect, but also you opened your eyes, saying 'wow, this guy is unbelievable.'"
Now Gomez has become United's chief attacking inspiration and the centerpiece of their championship hopes.
"Even though he didn't speak English, there was understanding from the moment he put a foot on the field," said Nowak of his prized playmaker. "Everyone understood what he wants to do and what he wants to accomplish. Our role is an easy one: just accommodate the players we have around him, to make sure that he's going to have success."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
