2024 Chicago Fire in Review: Gastón Giménez

There were plenty of changes that went on in the Chicago Fire’s locker room in 2024 and Gastón Giménez was one of the veterans charged with leading the squad by former head coach Frank Klopas.

Giménez once again became a Designated Player for the Fire ahead of the season, and that certainly contributed to his contentment at the club despite questions about that in the offseason. He was also given the captain’s armband for most of the season, both before and after Xherdan Shaqiri departed the club in August.

The midfielder scored a goal and collected two assists over 29 MLS appearances (18 starts), and he started each of Chicago’s matches in the Leagues Cup. He finished tied for first on the team with 38 tackles won and second on the Fire with 34 interceptions, per fbref, despite playing his fewest MLS minutes since his first season with Chicago in 2020.

Those numbers didn’t translate to many wins as the Fire struggled throughout 2024.

Giménez was made available in the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft and, if he’s not selected, will be available for transfer. Frankly, it would be shocking to see him in a Chicago Fire uniform in 2025 despite being under contract through the MLS season.