Diego Gutierrez
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-01-05) January 5, 1999
Place of birth Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Charleston Battery
Youth career
Elite Academy
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Omaha Mavericks 44 (10)
2020–2021 Creighton Bluejays 30 (15)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Chicago FC United 10 (7)
2022–2023 Portland Timbers 10 (0)
2022–2023 → Portland Timbers 2 (loan) 21 (7)
2024– Charleston Battery 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of January 17, 2024

Diego Gutierrez (born January 5, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for USL Championship club Charleston Battery.

Early life

Gutierrez grew up in Omaha, Nebraska.[1] In his youth, he played in the local latino Sunday league in Omaha.[2] He also played youth soccer with Elite Academy.[3]

Gutierrez played high school soccer at Ralston High School, finishing his time there as the state's all-time leading goal scorer with 112 goals as well as tallying 43 assists.[3] He was a four-time All-State selection and also earned All-Nebraska First Team honors.[3]

College career

In 2017, Gutierrez began attending the University of Nebraska Omaha, where he played for the men's soccer team.[4] On October 14, 2017, he scored his first collegiate goal, in a match against the Michigan Wolverines.[5] At the end of his freshman season, he was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team and the All-Tournament Team.[6][4] In his sophomore season, he scored braces in two matches against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons on September 29 and the Western Illinois Leathernecks on October 13,[7][8] earning Summit League Offensive Player of the Week for both performances.[9][10] At the end of the season, he was named to the All-Summit League First Team.[11] In his junior season, he helped them reach the Summit League final, where they were defeated by the Denver Pioneers.[12]

In 2020, Gutierrez transferred to Creighton University for his senior year to play for the men's soccer team,[13] The 2020 season was delayed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he was drafted in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft in January 2021 before appearing in a match for Creighton.[14] However, rather than to turn professional, he opted to complete his collegiate eligibility with Creighton first. He scored his first goals for Creighton on March 6, 2021, netting a brace against the Xavier Musketeers.[15] In April 2021, he was named the Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Week.[16] At the end of the season, he was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year, and was named to the All-Big East First Team and the All-East Region Second Team.[17][18] He then returned for a fifth collegiate season in the fall of 2021 and was named the Big East Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year and selected to the All-Big East Preseason Team.[19] He earned another two Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors that season[20][21] and helped Creighton reach the NCAA Tournament.[22] At the end of the season, for the second consecutive season, he was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and selected to the All-Big East First Team, after leading the conference in both goals (10) and assists (7).[23][24] He was also named to the All-East Region First Team, All-American Second Team, and the TopDrawerSoccer Postseason Best XI Second Team.[25][26][27]

Club career

At the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Gutierrez was selected in the third round (70th overall) by the Portland Timbers.[28] However, he remained at his university for another year, before pursuing his professional career.[29] In the summer of 2021, he played with Chicago FC United in USL League Two.[30]

Gutierrez then joined the Timbers for their 2022 preseason, appearing in all their of the team's exhibition matches.[31][32] In February 2022, he signed a one-year contract with the club, with option years from 2023 to 2025.[33][34] He made his professional debut in Major League Soccer on March 12, 2022, appearing as an 87th–minute substitute during a 1–0 win over Austin FC.[35] He also spent some time with the club's second team, Portland Timbers 2, in MLS Next Pro.[36][37] In April 2022, he underwent foot surgery, causing him to miss the next five months of the season.[38][39] On September 19, 2022, while playing for the second team, he scored a brace in a 2-0 victory over the Tacoma Defiance,[40] and on August 9, 2023, he scored a hat trick in a 6-1 victory over LA Galaxy II.[41] After the 2023 season, the club declined his option for the 2024 season.[42]

Gutierrez signed with Charleston Battery of the USL Championship on January 17, 2024.[43]

Personal life

Gutierrez is of Mexican descent and holds dual American and Mexican citizenship.

Career statistics

As of November 24, 2023[44]
Appearances and goals by club, season, and competition
Club Season League Playoffs National cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chicago FC United 2021[30] USL League Two 10711———118
Portland Timbers 2022 Major League Soccer 10—00——10
2023 90—20–00110
Total 10000200000120
Portland Timbers 2 (loan) 2022 MLS Next Pro 62————62
2023 155————155
Total 21700000000217
Career total 41141120!00004415

References

  1. ↑ Clarke, Ryan (February 25, 2022). "Portland Timbers sign forward Diego Gutierrez to first team". The Oregonian.
  2. ↑ Aerni, Blake (May 18, 2023). "Soccer is growing in Nebraska, and two current MLS players are the proof". Nebraska News Service.
  3. 1 2 3 "Diego Gutierrez Creighton profile". Creighton Bluejays.
  4. 1 2 "Diego Gutierrez Omaha profile". Omaha Mavericks.
  5. ↑ "Michigan's Golden Goal in 105th minute Sinks Omaha". Omaha Mavericks. October 14, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Men's Soccer Hauls in 11 All-League Honors". Omaha Mavericks. November 8, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Men's Soccer Picks Up 4-1 Win at Purdue Fort Wayne". Omaha Mavericks. September 29, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Gutierrez Leads Omaha Past Western Illinois". Omaha Mavericks. October 13, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Gutierrez Named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week". Omaha Mavericks. October 1, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Gutierrez, Tritz Sweep Summit League Weekly Awards". Omaha Mavericks. October 15, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Six Mavericks Collect Summit League Honors". Omaha Mavericks. November 7, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Mavericks Fall in Summit League Final, 1-0". Omaha Mavericks. November 16, 2019.
  13. ↑ Anderson, Rob (June 22, 2020). "Men's Soccer Adds Seven For 2020 Season". Creighton Bluejays.
  14. ↑ Robinson, Anthony (January 21, 2021). "Men's Soccer's Diego Gutierrez Selected By Portland Timbers During 2021 MLS SuperDraft". Creighton Bluejays.
  15. ↑ Robinson, Anthony (March 6, 2021). "Men's Soccer Returns To Morrison With 2-1 Victory Over Xavier". Creighton Bluejays.
  16. ↑ Robinson, Anthony (April 5, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez and Duncan McGuire Garner BIG EAST Weekly Honors". Creighton Bluejays.
  17. ↑ Robinson, Anthony (April 14, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez Named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, Five Bluejays Listed On All-BIG EAST Teams". Creighton Bluejays.
  18. ↑ Robinson, Anthony (May 11, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez Earns Spot on United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Second Team". Creighton Bluejays.
  19. ↑ Robinson, Anthony (August 18, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez Voted BIG EAST Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year, Bluejays Picked To Finish Third". Creighton Bluejays.
  20. ↑ Anderson, Rob (October 18, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez Named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week". Creighton Bluejays.
  21. ↑ Sisk, Glen (November 1, 2021). "Gutierrez, O'Neill and Ventura Claim BIG EAST Weekly Honors". Creighton Bluejays.
  22. ↑ Schinzel, Gene (February 25, 2022). "Diego Gutierrez, former Creighton and UNO player, signs with MLS Portland Timbers". Omaha World-Herald.
  23. ↑ Sisk, Glen (November 8, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez Repeats as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year". Creighton Bluejays.
  24. ↑ Sisk, Glen (February 25, 2022). "Former Bluejay Diego Gutierrez Signs Official Contract with Portland Timbers". Creighton Bluejays.
  25. ↑ Sisk, Glen (December 9, 2021). "Gutierrez and Watson Earn United Soccer Coaches Association Regional Honors". Creighton Bluejays.
  26. ↑ Sisk, Glen (December 10, 2021). "Gutierrez Earns United Soccer Coaches Association All-America Honors". Creighton Bluejays.
  27. ↑ Anderson, Rob (December 23, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez Honored by Top Drawer Soccer". Creighton Bluejays.
  28. ↑ Garcua, Kyle (January 21, 2021). "Timbers select Dawson McCartney, Diego Gutierrez in 2021 MLS SuperDraft". Stumptown Footy.
  29. ↑ Nyatawa, Jon (February 26, 2021). "Diego Gutierrez has gone from Ralston to Creighton, and now he has a path to the pros". Omaha World-Herald.
  30. 1 2 "Diego Gutierrez 2021 USL2 Stats". USL League Two.
  31. ↑ "Timbers sign forward Diego Gutierrez". Portland Timbers. February 25, 2022.
  32. ↑ Costigan, Fern (February 26, 2022). "Forward rookie draftee Diego Gutierrez joins the Portland Timbers". ProstAmerika.
  33. ↑ "Portland Timbers sign SuperDraft selection Diego Gutierrez". Major League Soccer. February 25, 2022.
  34. ↑ Svilar, Sam (February 25, 2022). "Timbers announce signing of Diego Gutierrez". Stumptown Footy.
  35. ↑ Costello, Brian (March 13, 2022). "Match Recap: Timbers earn first win of the season with 1-0 victory over Austin FC". Portland Timbers.
  36. ↑ Clarke, Ryan (April 22, 2022). "Portland Timbers forward Diego Gutierrez undergoes foot surgery". The Oregonian.
  37. ↑ Clarke, Ryan (February 2, 2023). "Diego Gutierrez eyes comeback, contribution for Portland Timbers after injury limits rookie season". The Oregonian.
  38. ↑ "Timbers forward Diego Gutierrez undergoes successful foot surgery". Portland Timbers. April 22, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Timbers forward Diego Gutierrez recovering from foot surgery". Sportsnaut. April 23, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Timbers2 earn 2-0 road victory against Tacoma Defiance in season finale". Portland Timbers. September 19, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Timbers2 register 6-1 home win over LA Galaxy II". Portland Timbers. August 10, 2023.
  42. ↑ "Timbers announce roster status ahead of 2024 MLS season". Portland Timbers. November 30, 2023.
  43. ↑ "Battery sign ex-Portland Timbers forward Diego Gutiérrez". CharlestonBattery.com. Charleston Battery. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  44. ↑ Diego Gutierrez at Soccerway
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