Real Salt Lake Sign Veteran Goalkeeper Tomas Gomez

January 9, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release

HERRIMAN, Utah – Real Salt Lake have re-signed goalkeeper Tomas Gomez, who spent all of 2022 with the first-team side after arriving to the Club via a Real Monarchs MLS NEXT Pro deal at the end of the 2022 preseason.

“I’m really excited to be back in Salt Lake for another year,” said Gomez on the eve of 2023 preseason preparations. “I really believe in the culture that Pablo has developed here. We embrace what I call a ‘grinding’ mentality, which is necessary to adhere to daily in order to succeed over the length of the season. As for me, I’m here to contribute to the team in whatever capacity I’m needed for each day. I believe there’s a lot of potential within this group and now it’s up us to execute this on the day-to-day to achieve our 2023 goals across multiple competitions.”

Gomez, 29, remains with Real Salt Lake after serving as Iron Man Zac MacMath’s primary backup throughout the 2022 season, with Gomez lone appearance coming in the Club’s Leagues Cup Showcase match against Atlas FC (Liga MX). During the 2021 season with USL Championship side Sacramento Republic, Gomez appeared in 19 matches, including 18 starts, during which he made 39 saves and added four clean sheets.

A Graduate of Georgetown University, Gomez was drafted in the third round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by the Columbus Crew SC, but ultimately signed with San Jose Earthquakes as a free agent. Since 2016, he has had an extensive career in the USL Championship spanning four different clubs, including Rochester Rhinos, St. Louis FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Sacramento, all the while appearing in more than 100 matches.

While with Rochester Rhinos Gomez was awarded the USL Championship Golden Glove during both the 2016 and 2017 seasons, an award given to the top goalkeeper in the league. Between the two seasons he recorded 20 shutouts out of a possible 42 matches, while making 92 saves and allowing less than a goal per game.

Last Fall, Real Salt Lake closed out its 18th MLS season, falling in the First Round of the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs via penalty-kick shootout tiebreaker at Austin FC, following a 2-2 regulation / extra-time deadlock that saw RSL play the final 67 minutes plus stoppage time down a man following FW Rubio Rubin’s second yellow card. To qualify for the postseason, RSL earned four points in its final pair of contests to vault itself past Portland Timbers FC and capture the seventh and final…