‘Incredibly high ceiling’ – Chicago Fire’s Chris Brady praises Brian Gutierrez’s potential, reflects on USMNT Gold Cup snub

While the USMNT have released the roster for the 2025 Gold Cup, some big names didn’t make the cut, including Chicago Fire’s star goalkeeper Chris Brady. Not only that, another Fire star in Brian Gutierrez also didn’t make the final list, and it has many Fire fans up in the air. But Brady believes that the omission will only serve to add fuel to the fire for a player he believes has an incredibly high ceiling.

“Incredibly high ceiling, that’s my boy,” Brady told CBS Sports Golazo America. “The magic I’ve seen from him, the development I’ve seen from him over the last few years has been incredible, I can’t even put it in words. But he’s a guy who definitely changes the pace of games, brings it every day in training and I’m happy to see things working out for him, right now.

He added, “I noted the omission of him on the roster, but I think this will just add more fuel to the fire from him, and like you see on the weekends, he’s doing everything he can to help the team out and help himself. So yeah, he’s definitely been making a case for himself.”

Gutierrez is the midst of a breakout season for Chicago, with five goals and one assist in 10 appearances. Brady also touched on his own omission from the squad and added that like Gutierrez, that it also adds fuel to the fire for him that he was left out as well.

“A lot,” Brady said when asked how much fuel to the fire it adds. “But I would love to represent my country at the highest level, but I think with this omission and with myself off the roster, I think it just, as you said, adds more fuel to the fire and more focus to really what we’re trying to accomplish here at Chicago, that being the playoff and a deep run.”

Brady has two clean sheets for a Fire side which sits 11th in the Eastern Conference.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper also talked about the Chicago Fire’s lethal front-four of Jonathan Bamba, Hugo Cuypers, Philip Zinckernagel, and Guti (Gutiérrez).

“The front-four, that’s the first thing that comes to mind,” Brady said when asked what Chicago Fire fans should and can be excited about. “Jonathan Bamba, Hugo Cyupers, Philip Zinckernagel and Guti. They’re a very dangerous front-four and they allow us to execute our gameplan onto other teams, and that’s something I think every team we play against definitely makes a note of and definitely prepares for.”

Brady further touched on Greg Berhalter’s tactics and how the team is finally coming together the way the former USMNT head coach wants them to play.

“Yeah, for sure,” Brady said when asked if he thinks things are starting to come together. “Especially with the way we’ve been performing, but also the chemistry between all the guys on the field, and with regards to our depth, I think the chemistry has grown there as well. So everybody who is on the field, starting the game or coming onto the field during the game, understands what we want to do with the ball, how we want to play, and how we want to impose our gameplan on other teams.

“So it’s definitely coming together piece by piece, I mean it’s a long season, but yeah, definitely coming together.”

Both Brady and Gutierrez represent key pieces in Chicago Fire's rebuilding process, sparked by the arrival of former U.S. boss Gregg Berhalter. The club is showing signs of improvement after several challenging seasons, sitting just two points away from the final playoff spot in its conference. Brady and Gutierrez's individual development trajectories mirror the team's growth.

The Fire face Orlando City next on the road on May 31 and then D.C.United away from home on June 7.