Canales Corner: Interliga Stint Special For Gomez, Ruiz

Perhaps that was part of the reason Puebla coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola seemed to be optimistic about how well Gomez, the team's newest addition, would fit into his squad. Gomez has been given the #9 shirt, normally reserved for a team's top forward.

"He's a good addition to our team that offers a lot to our future," said Sola of Gomez.

It's not Gomez' first stint in Mexico, however. He was there over a decade ago, trying to break through as a young player in the second division.

After Gomez returned to the USA in 2002, the dual-citizen managed to join the Los Angeles Galaxy, who were led to the MLS championship by their star striker, Guatemalan Carlos Ruiz.

"I know that Carlos sees the Galaxy as something special," said Gomez. "It's a shame we never got a chance to play together."

Ruiz was traded to Dallas in 2005, the same year that Gomez broke out of the Galaxy's reserve ranks in a scoring storm, teaming up with new signing Landon Donovan to secure the Galaxy's second championship title.

Now, after stints in Colorado in Kansas City, Gomez has returned again to play in Mexico - though his first minutes for Puebla have been in the stadium that he called home for so long.

"It's definitely special that I happened to be at the Home Depot," said Gomez. "This stadium is special to me."

One thing that has heightened Mexico's interest in MLS players is competing directly against the USA teams. Gomez drew interest from Puebla playing with Kansas City.

"I had some good SuperLiga games," Gomez explained. "Puebla happened to be one of the teams interested."

Though he played often as a midfielder for both Kansas City and Colorado, Puebla is looking to use Gomez as a striker - the same position that fit him so well when he was once a Galaxy player.

"It's been a while since I played forward," Gomez noted. "It reminded me of the old days, where I could just run at guys."

At one point in the game, though Gomez fired off a good shot that the goalkeeper was forced to scramble to stop, Ruiz threw his hands up in exasperation, as his late run left him more open to take a shot. He wagged a finger at his former Galaxy teammate for missing the pass opportunity.

Gomez shrugged. "I'm a striker - I get near the goal and I'm going to shoot."

It might have even been three players with Galaxy ties on the field that evening, if Landon Donovan's loan to Club America had gone through. That team played in the second match of the double-header, and they were very close to signing Donovan before he moved to Everton

Though Donovan passed up the chance to play in the country, Gomez, who was capped as a USA international in the 2007 Copa America, is relishing this new adventure in Mexico.

"I feel like I'm coming full circle. I wasn't supposed to make it this far. I'm excited. I'm like a little kid."

It's all the more special to take his place beside his former Galaxy mentor - Ruiz.

"This can only benefit me as a player," said Gomez.

Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America.